Bradley Beal Won't Make Grand Commitment to Wizards Just Yet

As the Philadelphia 76ers learned their three-time All-Star guard Ben Simmons wants to be traded, the team made it clear they didn't have any intentions of

As the Philadelphia 76ers learned their three-time All-Star guard Ben Simmons wants to be traded, the team made it clear they didn't have any intentions of shopping him around after his disappointing performance in the second round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs prior to his request.

But the Sixers considered offers and reportedly put together a list of nearly 30 players they would actually move Simmons for. As they considered packages from inquiring teams, the Sixers never found an offer that satisfied them. 

For months, it became clear that Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard was Philly's top target as the chances of landing him seemed realistic considering the Blazers' lack of postseason success in recent years. 

In addition to Lillard, the Sixers also had eyes on Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal as it was assumed he might be in the same boat as Lillard. While Washington has exceeded expectations to start the year, Beal doesn't seem completely sold on signing another long-term deal with the Wizards just yet.

Beal's Stance on a Commitment 

"I got time. I kinda hold the cards right now. One, I've never been in this position, so I'm kind of embracing that, right? Being able to dictate how I want my future to be, and where I want it to be. And at the same time I'm giving [Tommy Sheppard] that opportunity to show that it's working. But at the same time I'm not going to make that grand commitment and it doesn't work. Ultimately, you have to be selfish, right, at some point. And for probably the first time in my career, Year 10, I am. But my full commitment is to the team. I want it to work, you know what I'm saying, I've contributed to being here, right? I've committed to being here twice. So now I want to see that commitment to me as well." via Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports

What This Means for Philly

As Bradley Beal is more than likely a name on Philly's mysterious target list of 30 stars they would trade Simmons for, Beal's current stance on the possibility of signing an extension with the Wizards has to have the Sixers intrigued.

However, the chances of Beal getting moved this season are slim at the moment. As Washington has won 15 of their first 26 games, the Wizards look playoff-bound at the moment. Therefore, trading Beal away doesn't make sense for them, leaving the Sixers without a real chance of landing him and increasing their championship odds for this year.

But if the Sixers remain patient with the Simmons saga and hold onto the star guard through the trade deadline, it could pay off in the long run if Beal decides to move on from the Wizards for the first time in his career. While betting on all of those cards to fall in place would be a significant gamble for the Sixers, it's a plan at least worth considering if all else fails in the meantime.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.