NBA Trade Rumors: Heat will turn down any offer for Bradley Beal if it includes Tyler Herro
According to a June 17 report by The Athletic's Shams Charania, the Miami Heat are one of two finalists in discussions to acquire Bradley Beal via a trade with the Washington Wizards.
However, Miami Heat beat writer Anthony Chiang has since revealed that Miami is reluctant to include 2022 Sixth Man of the Year Tyler Herro in any deal.
As expected, the Heat is trying to get the Bradley Beal trade done without including Tyler Herro, according to league sources.
Beal is entering the second season of a five-year, $251 million contract. He has a no-trade clause.
"As expected, the Heat is trying to get the Bradley Beal trade done without including Tyler Herro, according to league sources," Chiang Tweeted. "Beal is entering the second season of a five-year, $251 million contract. He has a no-trade clause."
Bradley Beal has become available after the Washington Wizards agreed to let him move teams as the Eastern Conference franchise begins its preparations to enter a full-scale roster rebuild. As such, most contending rosters in the NBA likely showed interest in Beal, yet the Wizards clearly valued potential trade packaged from the Miami Heat and Phoenix Suns.
In 50 games this past season, Bradley Beal averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 50.6% from the field and 36.5% from deep. However, it's worth noting that Beal has struggled with fitness in recent years, having failed to play more than 60 regular-season games since the 2018-19 season, where he played in all 82.
Still, Beal is unquestionably one of the better scorers in the NBA when healthy, and should the Miami Heat find a way to add him to their core, alongside Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo, they will undoubtedly be in the mix for a championship next season.
Wizards rumored to want Chris Paul from Phoenix
According to a June 17 report by Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes, should the Phoenix Suns wish to acquire Bradley Beal, the Washington Wizards would want Chris Paul and Landry Shamet as the trade package.
Phoenix can offer a trade package of Deandre Ayton and Landry Shamet to Washington for Bradley Beal, but it’s believed a Chris Paul, Shamet deal is what it would take if Beal chose to force his way to the Suns via his no-trade clause, league sources tell @NBAonTNT,… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…
"Phoenix can offer a trade package of Deandre Ayton and Landry Shamet to Washington for Bradley Beal, but it’s believed a Chris Paul, Shamet deal is what it would take if Beal chose to force his way to the Suns via his no-trade clause, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport," Haynes tweeted.
Chris Paul has two years remaining on his current contract, however, the 2023-24 season is only partially guaranteed, while the 2024-25 season is non-guaranteed. As such, the Washington Wizards could quickly create cap space, depending on what they did with Chris Paul's contract after acquiring him.
Furthermore, Landry Shamet's contract will become non-guaranteed ahead of the 2024-25 season, further improving Washington's ability to generate significant cap space - a vital tool in amassing assets or rapidly rebuilding on the fly. It could make sense for the Wizards to keep both Paul and Shamet for this season, pairing them with Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma.
Still, the Miami Heat appear to have a better trade package, although Bradley Beal would have the opportunity to contend for a championship with either team. As such, the Washington Wizards are likely to encourage a bidding war for their All-Star guard as they look to put their best foot forward.
For now, though, we will have to wait and see which team is successful in their attempt to acquire Bradley Beal this summer.