What Bradley Beal opting out would signal for Celtics potential pursuit of Wizards guard | Brian Robb

One of the biggest subplots surrounding the start of 2022 NBA Free Agency will be the future of Bradley Beal. The long-time Wizards guard has a $36.4 million player option for the 2022-23 season that he has to make a decision on by June 29th, the day before the official start of free agency. A new report from Michael Scotto of Hoopshype indicated that Beal plans to decline that player option and become a free agent but a cryptic tweet from Beal on Tuesday night created uncertainty around that report.

Either way, decision time will come soon for Beal as he decides upon his future. Will he opt in for one more year with Washington? Will he opt out of his deal in order to re-sign with the Wizards for a more lucrative five-year contract that could be worth over $245 million if general manager Tommy Shephard gives him a max offer? The other alternative, of course, would be Beal opting out and testing the free agency waters with the possibility of signing elsewhere or moving as a part of a sign-and-trade to a new destination.

There was plenty of buzz around a potential Celtics pursuit of Beal last year but those rumblings understandably faded amid the team’s run to the NBA Finals. However, the question remains whether the Celtics would consider trying to bring in the high-volume scorer who also doubles as one of Jayson Tatum’s best friends.

The Celtics do not have any cap room this offseason due to their current contracts on the books so any potential pursuit of Beal would have to come via a trade or a sign-and-trade. However, it’s important to note the limitations Boston would be dealing with when it comes to a sign-and-trade.

Accepting any player in a sign-and-trade would trigger the NBA’s hard cap or apron, which for next season is set at $155 million or just six million dollars above the luxury tax threshold. The Celtics already have $149 million committed in salary to 10 players for next season.

Celtics guaranteed money if Horford’s contract is guaranteed: $149.1 million to 10 players

Expected salary cap for 2022-23: $122 million

Expected luxury tax line for 2022-23: $149 million

Expected Apron: $155 million

Given the salary matching that would need to be involved in a hypothetical swap, a sign-and-trade swap for Beal is likely a non-starter for Boston’s front office due to the team-building limitations it presents. The Celtics would have to send out multiple big contracts (along with the draft picks) out the door to match Beal’s salary ($42 million in the first year of a max deal) and would essentially have no clear way to replace that production with the hard cap triggered.

The team would get an upgrade in Beal but would be effectively limited to minimum contracts to filling out the rest of the roster, barring moving out other valuable players on bigger salaries in different trades. That’s just too high of a price to pay for a guy like Beal when you also consider the value Boston would need to give up in a sign-and-trade itself via picks and personnel.

For that reason, if Beal opts out of his contract this offseason, that will effectively put an end to any potential Boston pursuit of him this summer. If Beal opts into his player option, the door would remain open for the Celtics being able to consider dealing for him without worrying about triggering the hard cap.

Multiple reports in recent weeks have indicated Beal is leaning towards signing a new five-year deal with the Wizards to maximize his earnings. That could eventually leave the door open to a Boston trade pursuit of Beal a year or two down the line in the event he asks to be moved to a contender.

For now, the Celtics acting on any interest in Beal feels like a long shot, especially in the event of Beal opting out of his current deal. That move by the Wizards guard just creates too many complications for any Celtics’ potential trade this summer involving him.



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