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The Washington Wizards are the newest entrant in the painfully slowly unfolding of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, Sam Amico of Hoops Wire reported.
"Sources have told Hoops Wire the Wizards also have an interest in available Nets star Kevin Durant, though that was viewed as exploratory only. Their pursuit of Mitchell is likely to be more aggressive, sources said" via Hoops Wire.
The interest is deemed to be exploratory as the Wizards have close to nothing to offer the Brooklyn Nets.
It is to be noted that Bradley Beal, who was recently given a staggering five-year, $251 million supermax extension, includes a no-trade clause. The clause gives Beal the power to veto any and all trades for the duration of the contract.
Without Beal, the Wizards have nothing to pitch that would be of worth. In theory, a trade package that includes Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma along with plenty of draft capital can be put together, but that is far from sufficient compensation for Brooklyn.
The news comes alongside Shams Charania's reports of the New York Knicks restarting their talks with the Utah Jazz over guard Donovan Mitchell. The Washington Wizards and Charlotte Hornets are also in the mix.
Washington Wizards' belief in Bradley Beal is worth the second-largest contract in NBA history
Perhaps one of the most unlikely moves in the offseason was Bradley Beal opting out of his player-option, becoming eligible for a supermax contract and signing the second-largest deal in NBA history. Beal is a three-time All-Star and was a third-team All-NBA selection in 2021.
What is even more surprising is the no-trade clause in the contract, which is a rare occurrence around the league. According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, Beal became only the 10th player in history to get such a deal. The other nine include LeBron James, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade.
Moving into the 2022-23 season, of the active players in the NBA, only Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract.
This clause will allow Beal, who played 40 games last season, to veto any trades involving him. It basically means that Beal gets the final say in trades and can't be traded without his consent.
The Wizards have clearly signaled their path to the league. With a deal this big, and yearly salaries increasing every year, Beal holds the torch in DC.
