Bradley Beal has stayed extremely loyal to the Washington Wizards despite several bumps in the road. But while he's kept his head down for years, he gave a worrisome non-answer after being asked about his future in D.C.
After their Game 5 elimination game loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, the Wizards star was asked if the front office had done enough to keep his long-term commitment to the team. Instead of getting his usual affirmation that he's looking to build something in D.C., he was surprisingly hesitant to answer either way.
Bradley Beal is asked directly about whether he thinks the Wizards have shown him enough to commit to the organization long-term. And while he praises Scott Brooks and the way the season went, Beal declined to answer either way whether Washington was the place for him long-term.
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) June 3, 2021
Perhaps, Beal is just keeping his options open? His non-answer certainly might have more than a handful of Wizards fans worried. The 3-time All-Star was never iffy about claiming his loyalty and the inspiration behind it, looking up to Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard. The two superstars would often talk about what it's like sticking to their guns despite the swirling trade rumors year in, year out. (via The Athletic's Jason Quick and Fred Katz)
“Those conversations were great,” Beal said. “… We always say, it's always easy to jump on the other side with two, three other guys who are really good, but at the same time, that grass isn't always greener. We've seen that. History has shown that.”
At the end of the day, Beal could very well still commit to Washington long-term. But that won't stop the speculation from circling as long as the Wizards remain far from championship contention.
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