Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard told ESPN that the organization is preparing a three-year, $111 million maximum contract extension for All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
"That might be one of the safest bets in the house …"
Wizards GM Tommy Sheppard to @Rachel__Nichols on whether the Wizards will offer Bradley Beal a max contract extension. pic.twitter.com/iBwmntZAhB
— ESPN (@espn) July 22, 2019
“At the very first moment allowed, we are going to offer Brad the full-max extension,” Sheppard said.
The 26-year-old sharpshooter has until Oct. 21 to pen the extension, but according to Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein, Bradley will need time to consider the offer given that the extension would start with the 2021-22 campaign.
“There are moments in a career where there are big decisions to make, and Brad will work through everything and figure out the right thing to do,” Bartelstein said. “There are nothing but great feelings for Ted [Leonsis], Tommy and Scott [Brooks]. They’ve treated Brad wonderfully.”
According to Sheppard, who was hired as a permanent general manager a few days ago, the Wizards are also willing to offer Beal a one or two-year extension, in case he decides to pass on the current offer. Still, even if that happens, Washington is not interested in sending Beal away in a potential trade. Beal has two years and $55.8 million left on his current contract.
With two years, $55.8M left on current deal, John Wall out with Achilles injury and significant work to be done on roster, Sheppard understands why Beal may pause. "We need to show him that we are about building this the right way," Sheppard tells ESPN. https://t.co/QbTWeBKlKT
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 22, 2019
“He’s got two years left on his deal, and he’s from Missouri, and we are going to have to show him,” Sheppard told ESPN. “We need to show him that we are about building this the right way, that we aren’t going to have character-deficient guys around him. We are going to surround him with guys he wants to play with. He saw that right away in free agency with us bringing back Thomas Bryant.”
If Beal made it to the All-NBA team in the upcoming season, he could be eligible to sign a five-year, $254 million supermax extension next year. If he doesn’t, Beal would be available for a four-year, $155 million max extension at the start of the 2020-21 campaign.
Washington Wizards governor (owner) Ted Leonsis traveled to Chicago to talk with Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports.
“I understand that it’s a players’ league,” Leonsis said. “I do think that today’s players are so intelligent, so smart and can smell inauthenticity from far away. I think they want owners and GMs, coaches and trainers – everyone – on the same page.”
