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Bondy: Nets have had ‘internal’ discussions on acquiring Bradley Beal

By Net Income
Brooklyn Nets v Washington Wizards Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images

The other day on a Dallas sports show, Marc Cuban recounted how his Mavericks acquired Kristaps Porzingis. Like so many trades, it was preceded by a number of previous phone calls between GM’s. The way Cuban told it, GMs will often call their counterparts on other teams about a franchise player. Usually, he said, the GM on the other end will say no thanks. ... until he says yes, as the Knicks did when they called the Mavs about Porzingis.

That’s essentially how the Nets got Deron Williams in 2011. The Jazz were willing to let DWill go when in years pasts, they would have said, no. Same with James Harden and the Thunder in 2012.

Is this what the Nets would be hoping for in Bradley Beal? Doesn’t seem like he’s on the market or wants to move. Beal has said he wants to remain a Wizard for entire career. And Ted Leonsis, the Wizards owner, and his GM Tommy Sheppard have both said he’s not available. They want to pair him with John Wall who’s going to return next season after missing all of this one. And Beale is probably more popular in Washington than Wall.

Meanwhile, Beal’s own agent, presumably with Beal’s approval, told Adam Zagoria, writing for Forbes, that the idea is far-fetched.

“There are no Beal Sweepstakes and that’s why he re-signed with the Wizards,” agent Mark Bartelstein told Zagoria Friday by phone.

“Brad re-signed with the Wizards because he wanted to stay in Washington and the Wizards wanted to keep him there.”

All that said, Stefan Bondy reports the Nets have “internally discussed avenues of acquiring” Beal believing he could be a “third star” to team with a healthy Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. As for sourcing, Bondy writes only that “the Daily News has learned.”

Indeed, several writers have said that the Nets are in the hunt for a third star ... although not everyone believes that’s necessary. Beal certainly qualifies as a star, if not a superstar, talent.

Beal, 26, averaged a career-high 30.5 points this season with 6.1 assists on 45.5 percent shooting overall and 38.5 percent from three. in the 10 games before the shutdown, he averaged 37.5, including a 30-point performance against the Nets on February 26.

So it would be no surprise if the Nets had internal discussions about Beal. After all, Sean Marks told a New Zealand TV show last week that he’s been spending seven to eight hours a day on “Zoom chats” with his players and staff.

Also, of course, Irving discussed the possibility of adding a third star early in the season. in case you’ve forgotten, here’s what he told reporters ...

“I mean, it’s transparent. It’s out there. It’s glaring, in terms of the pieces that we need in order to be at that next level,” Irving said. “I’m going to continue to reiterate it. We’re going to do the best with the guys that we have in our locker room now, and we’ll worry about all the other stuff, in terms of moving pieces and everything else, as an organization down the line in the summer.”

NBC Sports Washington, on seeing Bondy’s report, posted a report of their own, essentially throwing cold water on the initial report.

Is this nothing? No. It’s absolutely believable that an organization immersed in their championship window “internally discussed” trading for one of the best shooting guards in the NBA who’s on a struggling team.

Is it likely? I doubt it.

Bondy also wrote about what it might take to move Beal, citing the usual suspects: Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen. Nets also have a first round pick, the 76ers, in this year’s draft.

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