Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal was aware that some changes would come in the nation's capital after an undesirable start to the regular season, and while it was tough to see a player like Kelly Oubre Jr. shipped away to the West, Beal has remained positive about the reinforcements coming back in longtime veteran Trevor Ariza.
“We got to move forward,” Beal said when asked about the trade, according to ESPN's Ohm Youngmisuk. “… It was good to see [Oubre's] development and he's like my little brother. From that aspect, I'm a little sad about it, hurt by it. But it is a business at the end of the day.”
Beal also noted Ariza is the “perfect fit” for what the Wizards need as they approach the end of the calendar year after snapping a four-game losing streak with a win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
“I get my O.G. back — he's my vet — in Trevor Ariza,” Beal said. “I embrace that, that's a plus. It's [the trade] kind of a two-fold situation. Trev has a spark about himself. He has a true desire to win. He doesn't care what it looks like — he is going to go out there and do it.
“He always accepts the challenge defensively and his leadership qualities and his [ability to be vocal], everything he's about, his morals on and off the floor, [is] everything that we need. He's a great character guy, perfect fit.”
Beal's described characteristics are exactly what the Wizards have been lacking throughout the season, an unequivocal determination to get a strong result and inject the rest of the team with that same hellbent approach.
Trevor Ariza will likely slide right into a starting position as a stretch power forward, considering Markieff Morris has thrived on his role off the bench, making the two immediate contributors as the trade was just made official by the league office.
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