The Washington Wizards finally locked up their superstar, Bradley Beal, signing him to a massive five-year, $251 million extension. As big of a deal as that was, it's been made bigger with the news that Beal also has a true no-trade clause in the contract. He is the only active player in the NBA with that clause and only the 10th player in NBA history with it.
On Friday, Beal addressed the media and his thoughts on his future with the organization.
The Wizards superstar was asked if he thought chatter regarding his future would end now. His response was telling.
“It's never going to end. Because now you guys are going to be like, ‘when is he going to lift this clause.'”
That is an unlikely scenario, at least in the immediate future. Washington re-signed him with plans for the future. He is a good enough player to build the franchise around. Beal is coming off an injury plagued season where his production suffered. He posted only 23 points per game on 45 percent shooting. He was dreadful from beyond the arc, hitting at just 30 percent. However, he did drop a career-high 6.6 assists per game.
The max money was based more off of what he did the two seasons prior. The Wizards shooting guard had back-to-back seasons averaging over 30 points per game, proving he is an elite scorer.
However, the franchise is far from contending. So, it's not out of the realm of possibility Washington looks to move him at some point during the contract. If and when that happens, Beal has the ultimate trump card.