"Ultimately, you have to be selfish at some point" - Bradley Beal discusses why he's not ready for a 'commitment' with Washington Wizards, in conversation with Chris Haynes
Bradley Beal was selected with the third overall pick in the 2013 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, and he has since then played for the franchise. But it seems like the veteran shooting guard is interested in weighing his options instead of committing to another long-term deal with the Wizards.
In a conversation with Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes on the “Posted Up with Chris Haynes” podcast, Bradley Beal revealed his plans moving forward.
“I got time, so I kinda hold the cards right now. And one, I’ve never been in this position. I’m kinda embracing that, being able to kinda dictate how I want my future to be and where I want it to be."
“And at the same time, I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work. Ultimately, you have to be selfish at some point and for probably the first time in my career, Year 10, I am. And so I’m kinda taking advantage of it in a way."
“Obviously, my full commitment is to the team. I want it to work. I’ve contributed to being here. I’ve committed to being here twice. Now, I want to see that commitment to me, as well, that we can create a winning team here, a winning environment here. And granted, I’m a part of that, so I gotta make sure that I’m stepping up and doing my thing, too, just as well.”
Bradley Beal says he’s not ready to sign an extension with Washington yet
“I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work. Ultimately you have to be selfish at some point.”
(Via @ChrisBHaynes ) https://t.co/Usmz8PpbP8
During the 2021 offseason, Bradley Beal was offered a $181 million four-year contract extension, but the shooting guard opted to wait and see how things go with the new players brought in.
How has Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards performed so far in the 2021-22 NBA season?
No one expected the Wizards to be in a playoff spot at this stage of the season, but they are surprising the NBA community. With a 15-11 record, they hold the No. 5 spot in the Eastern Conference standings and are 2.5 games behind the top-seeded Brooklyn Nets.
Bradley Beal has been the standout player for the Wizards this season, but the contributions of Kyle Kuzma and Montrezl Harrell have been monumental in their run so far. Both players were acquired via a trade deal that sent Russell Westbrook to the LA Lakers.
This sequence from Bradley Beal 😅 https://t.co/WUWgmHrRMo
The Wizards are not a team of superstars but the group is filled with players that were slept on, and are doing everything in their power to prove their doubters wrong. With Bradley Beal leading the squad, they could make some noise in the East.
It is worth pointing out that Bradley Beal's averages have dropped, with many attributing it to the absence of Westbrook. Brad was on course to be crowned the shooting champ before Stephen Curry's April takeover.
While he is an elite-level scorer, it is undeniable that Russ made things a lot easier for him. Beal is averaging 22.6 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 23 games played this season.