The Washington Wizards would either get their act together last week or face major changes. You read that here last week. Home losses to the awful Cleveland Cavaliers and talented Portland Trailblazers – plus guard John Wall, cursing at coach Scott Brooks during a practice – have led to sources saying Bradley Beal, Wall and all members of the Wizards are on the trading block.
Wall’s contract, which will pay him $42.3 million over the next two years, is an albatross. Beal is younger, makes less money and could make a bad team better, a good team a contender and the L.A. Lakers one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA Western Conference.
On Tuesday, speculation had it that the Lakers will make a major run at obtaining Beal.
ESPN’s NBA guru Adrian Wojnarowski first reported said on Twitter last weekend, “Wizards signaling a willingness to consider trade overtures on entire roster, including All-Star guards John Wall and Bradley Beal.” He added in a video that several members of the team “really don’t like each other.”
Beal is aware of the trade rumors and told the Washington Post, “I’m not going to be naive to it, you know,” said Beal, who saw the report.
“I’ve heard those rumors weeks ago. Then, I didn’t buy into them. Now, I’m still not going to buy into them because if that’s my main priority and focus, then I’m going to be messed up on the floor.”
Weeks ago, the Wizard weren’t 5-11 and last in the Atlantic Division.
On Nov. 2, Beal snatched a clipboard from Brooks during a timeout to make a point of his own. Dysfunction abounds, and it came to a head when Wall said “(Bleep) you” to Brooks last week when he challenged Wall to show more effort during a practice. He apologized and was fined.
Anthony Riccobono, who covers the NBA for the International Business Times, says Beal to the Lakers makes great business sense too.
“L.A. refused to give up a bunch of their assets for Kawhi Leonard in the summer, though San Antonio’s asking price was reportedly very high,” he wrote.
“Acquiring Beal would likely eliminate the Lakers from their pursuit of a max free agent in the summer of 2019. Los Angeles could still be more than $20 million below the salary cap.”
LeBron, who posted 51 in a win over Miami this week, needs help on offense.
“As a career 39 percent three-point shooter, he is an ideal candidate to play with James. The shooting guard is averaging 21.5 points per game and shooting a career-low 33.9 percent from three-point range this season,” Riccobono added.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report concocted a possible deal that would send Beal, Thomas Bryant, and Jeff Green to the Lakers for Michael Beasley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kyle Kuzma, and Brandon Ingram.
“Sitting out another blockbuster shouldn’t be part of the Lakers’ plan. They of all teams know nothing is certain in advance of free agency. If they can reel in a 25-year-old (Beal), an All-Star who complements LeBron James’ game without obliterating their asset base, cap space should be a secondary concern.”
While his name is not mentioned in that deal, my guess is that Magic Johnson and the Lakers front office would love to add Beal to the roster and subtract Lonzo Ball.
If it’s going to happen, watch for the trade to occur near the first of the year, 2019.
Burwell and the blue
The late Post-Dispatch sports columnist Bryan Burwell and I were touring the St. Louis Cardinals Museum in Ballpark Village on Opening Day a few years back and had a hysterical discussion about the sky-blue uniforms the Cardinals wore during their 1982 World Championship season.
Apart from the Dallas Cowboys blue jersey, silver pants combo, the ’82 blue Cardinals uniform is my all-time favorite.
He hated it. Mocked it. Laughed at it.
I defended that uniform like I had designed them. I even threw in “you had to be here.”
I couldn’t convince him to stop hating on the blue, but I told him that someday, the look would be back.
The Cardinals announced this week that the powder blue would indeed return this year.
Hey Bryan, dude, it’s hard to believe you will have left us four years ago on December 4. I still miss you. I guess I won that fun debate. Say hi to my dad, and I know you’re digging Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
Let’s start the roundup with a bot of personal thanks. My wife, Carmen, and I were in Chicago last weekend to see our daughter star in the Dominican University musical “School House Rock.” She’s making great grades, will serve as stage manager for an upcoming Judy Collins concert on campus and performs with the school’s critically acclaimed improvisation ensemble … Our daughter, Blaine, is a senior at Kirkwood High School and a member of its National Honor Society. Active in jazz choir and a leader of its theater crew students, she has her choice of colleges – and, yes, has been accepted at KU, although Missouri seems to be her first choice. She will pursue an engineering degree … My mom, Erma Reid, remains a pillar of service to retired teachers and the entire Kirkwood community. Who gets a Ph.D. at 80? My mom. She’s now 82 and more vibrant than I was at 21. I’m blessed, and I’m truly thankful … Ladue plays at Webb City and MICDS hosts Smithville on Saturday afternoon. The winners advance to the Class 4 state championship – where I grant my personal permission to the Rams to run up the score on MICDS should they meet … The St. Louis Blues fired coach Mike Yeo on Monday night. It probably stinks to be let go right before Thanksgiving – just ask the hundreds of Shop ‘n Save employees who just lost their jobs this week … Les Miles is KU’s new head coach. I chatted with KSDK Sports Director Frank Cusumano about the hire this weekend and he mentioned it on his show on Monday. Thanks for the shout out, dude … Mizzou should give coach Barry Odom a raise and leave him alone. He’s going to go 8-4 and play in a respectable bowl game. We Jayhawks long for those days … Words cannot describe the Monday Night Football game in which the Los Angeles Rams topped the Kansas City Chiefs. If the Chiefs had any kind of defense, they would be favored to reach the Super Bowl…. The Rams back in the Super Bowl jus three years after bolting from STL? Yep, could happen …
Alvin A. Reid was honored as the 2017 “Best Sports Columnist – Weeklies” in the Missouri Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest and is a New York Times contributor. He is a panelist on the Nine Network program, Donnybrook, a weekly contributor to “The Charlie Tuna Show” on KFNS and appears monthly on “The Dave Glover Show” on 97.1 Talk.” His Twitter handle is @aareid1.
