76ers Rumored to Have Low Interest in Wizards’ Bradley Beal

Could the Washington Wizards finally move on from their All-Star guard Bradley Beal? All signs are beginning to point towards yes as the NBA Draft approaches.

Over the offseason, the Wizards made key changes to the front office, which was the first step towards possibly moving on from Beal, who’s been rumored as a possible trade candidate for the last few seasons as the Wizards continued to struggle to make it beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Similar to the Damian Lillard situation out in Portland, Beal was always linked as a possible trade candidate to numerous suitors for several seasons but showed his loyalty to the franchise that drafted him. Last summer, Beal inked a long-term max contract with the Wizards, which has a no-trade clause attached.

Therefore, if the Wizards want to move Beal, the standout guard would have to agree with the location. In the event that Beal and the Wizards decide a trade is absolutely necessary, would the 76ers show interest? According to a report from Philly Voice’s Kyle Neubeck, the idea of potentially acquiring Beal might be popular amongst fans but not in the front office.

“Sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity insisted that the Sixers will not be pursuing Beal and are not interested in him as a long-term building block. The concerns on Philadelphia’s end are all the obvious ones laid out above. Committing $200 million to a player over the next four years under a CBA that is punitive for expensive teams is not a route they’re looking to travel.”

Next season, Beal is slated to make over $46 million for the year. From then on, his salary increases beyond $50 million, with his final player option coming in at a whopping $57.1 million in 2026-2027.

Considering Beal is one of the NBA’s most talented guards, it’s no surprise he gets paid the big bucks. However, his contract is still a tough pill to swallow for any team that wants to employ him and still have the funds to build out a roster with valuable depth surrounding the stars.

At the start of the offseason, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey made it clear that the Sixers want to do all they can to get James Harden back in the mix. According to John Clark of NBC Sports Philadelphia, that remains the case one month later.

If Harden returns, it’s tough to imagine the Sixers want anything to do with Beal, considering they have an affordable young rising star in Tyrese Maxey. But if the Sixers fail to retain Harden, who is strongly considering a move back to rejoin the Houston Rockets, then they’ll have to pivot to a Plan B.

Since the Sixers had an interest in Washington’s talented scoring guard in the past, a potential inquiry from the 76ers when the Wizards begin taking calls shouldn’t be ruled out. If Washington likes the idea of acquiring a player like Tobias Harris for next season, that could be a starting point for Philadelphia to replace Harden with Beal.

Based on the recent rumor, that situation should not be counted on at this time. With the odds of Harden leaving for Houston shifting in Philly’s favor, they might not need a Plan B come July. And even if the Sixers do need to pivot into a different direction, taking on Beal’s hefty contract might be low on their list of backup plans.