Lakers Rumors: Is Rob Pelinka Waiting For A Bradley Beal Deal?
Your Los Angeles Lakers are hoping to improve what has been a choppy start to their 2022-23 NBA season tonight, when they play host to the San Antonio Spurs at Crypto.com Arena. At present, L.A. is 4-10, but have won two straight contests, and will have a one-day rest advantage against the rebuilding 6-11 Spurs, who just lost to the Clippers yesterday in a 119-97 blowout.
It sounds like L.A. team vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka may be biding his time in making a trade to improve the club because he has a particular All-Star in mind. It was reported last week that the Lakers were possibly hoping to flip ex-All-Star Russell Westbrook for his 2020-21 Washington Wizards teammate, Bradley Beal.
In the latest edition of their essential podcast The Crossover, Sports Illustrated scribes Howard Beck and Chris Mannix shed further light on the Beal of it all:
“So here was the quote from the Western Conference executive I spoke to who had mentioned this... He says, ‘Washington is the one that I keep thinking that’s going to happen. … [Bradley Beal] got a no-trade clause [in his contract extension], he wants to come to California... Whatever you want to say about Pelinka, he’s being smart, he’s taking his time.'"
Even prior to dealing for Russell Westbrook, Lakers stars Anthony Davis and LeBron James, as well as locker room leader Jared Dudley, were all interested in adding Beal in the summer of 2021. Other players they considered dealing all their depth for prior to the Westbrook trade materializing included L.A. native DeMar DeRozan (who would have been an incredible fit), now with the Chicago Bulls and Kyle Lowry (they dodged a bullet there), currently earning way too much money on the Miami Heat.
Beal is currently in the first year of a new five-year, $251,019,650 maximum deal with the Wizards. Along with colleagues Kristaps Porzingis and ex-Laker Kyle Kuzma, Beal has helped Washington get off to an exciting 9-7 start, good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Because he has a no-trade clause in his deal, he would have to volunteer to be dealt to L.A. once he becomes trade-eligible later this season.
The three-time All-Star has never exactly been a defensive stalwart. But that's okay when he's putting up numbers like the 22.4 points (on .511/.377/933), 5.9 assists, and 3.6 rebounds the University of Florida product is currently averaging this season.
