Bradley Beal

wasatemperly

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington Wizards have acquired guards Chris Paul and Landry Shamet, four first round pick swaps (2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030) and six second round picks (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2030) from the Phoenix Suns as part of the agreement to trade guard Bradley Beal to Phoenix.  

“Bradley leaves a legacy and impact that will continue to be felt by those he helped during the 11 seasons we watched him develop into a cornerstone of our on-court and off-court efforts,” said&nbsp;Monumental Sports&nbsp;&&nbsp;Entertainment Founder&nbsp;and&nbsp;CEO Ted Leonsis.&nbsp; “We appreciate and respect the place he holds in our franchise’s history and we’re proud that he established himself as a star player, community leader and family man in Washington, D.C.”

Beal leaves as the franchise’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (1,514) while ranking second in total points (15,391), second in steals (772) and third in games played (695).  He also ranks in the franchise’s top five in minutes played, assists and free throws with averages of  22.1 points, 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds per game during his 11 seasons with the Wizards.  Beal earned three All-Star selections, was named All-NBA Third Team in 2020-21 and was named the 2018-19 Seasonlong NBA Cares Community Assist Award winner.

“From afar, I’ve admired Bradley as an All-NBA player and a difference-maker in his communities,” said Monumental Basketball President Michael Winger.&nbsp; “We were pleased to work together to find a deal that moved us closer to our goal of eventually competing for championships while getting Bradley to a place where he’ll be able to do so immediately.&nbsp; We wish Bradley and his entire family the best of luck in Phoenix and thank him on behalf of the organization, the fans and the city of Washington for his immeasurable contributions.”

Shamet owns career averages of 8.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.7 assists while shooting .388 from three-point range in 302 games with Philadelphia, the LA Clippers, Brooklyn and Phoenix.&nbsp; He averaged 8.7 points, a career-high 2.3 assists and 1.7 rebounds in 40 games with the Suns last season, raising his numbers to 11.1 points, 3.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds in nine games as a starter.&nbsp; The five-year veteran was originally drafted by the Sixers with the 26th&nbsp;overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft and was named to the 2019 NBA All-Rookie Second Team.

“Landry has a well-deserved reputation as a connector and positive influence in the locker room in addition to his abilities on the court,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins.&nbsp; “He will be a valuable contributor to our organization.”

Guard Jordan Goodwin and forward Isaiah Todd will also go from Washington to Phoenix as part of the deal, while Phoenix’s 2028 second round pick along with the Wizards’ 2029 second round pick and the draft rights to Jarace Walker (the eighth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft) will go to Indiana for the draft rights to Bilal Coulibaly (the seventh pick in the 2023 NBA Draft).

Goodwin averaged 6.6 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.7 assists in 62 games for the Wizards this season.&nbsp; He was originally signed as a two-way player before being converted to a regular contract on Feb. 24.&nbsp; Todd averaged 1.6 points and 1.3 rebounds in 18 games for the Wizards over the past two seasons.&nbsp; His draft rights were originally acquired as part of a five-team trade on Aug. 6, 2021.

wizards-agree-to-trade-beal-to-phoenix-acquire-paul-shamet-and-draft-picks

Wizards Agree to Trade Beal to Phoenix, Acquire Paul, Shamet and Draft Picks

Bradley Beal spoke to the media following the conclusion of the 2022-23 season.

2022-23-season-exit-interview-bradley-beal

2022-23 Season Exit Interview: Bradley Beal

wasvpoma

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As a thank you to the Washington, D.C., community for their constant support, Wizards guard Bradley Beal has donated $96,000 to DC Central Kitchen’s summer meals project. 

“Nobody should go without in our community, especially our kids,” said Beal. “They are thankfully supported during the school year, but the summer brings on new challenges that we can help address. Thank you to DC Central Kitchen for partnering with me on this initiative and for their continued efforts to bring awareness to the food insecurity going on in our city.”

The donation will provide 32,000 summer meals or two months’ worth of meals for food insecure students who normally rely on school meals. These healthy meals will be distributed through various avenues including DC Central Kitchen’s food trucks, partner agencies and community locations.

“Fighting hunger is a team effort,” said DC Central Kitchen CEO Mike Curtin, Jr. “Thanks to Mr. Beal’s generosity, DC Central Kitchen’s dedicated staff and volunteers will provide nutritious, scratch-cooked meals to thousands of children across our city this summer. This gift is a powerful example of what the Washington, D.C., community can do when we stand up for one another and take on big challenges together.”

In his 11th season as a Wizard, Beal trails only Wes Unseld (13) in years spent with the franchise. He is the franchise’s all-time leader in three-pointers made (1,514) and ranks third in games played with Washington at 695, trailing only Unseld (984) and Elvin Hayes (731). Beal (15,391) also needs just 161 points to surpass Hayes (15,551) for the most points in franchise history, a mark held since 1978. He ranks in the franchise’s top five in minutes played (third, 24,091), assists (third, 2,972), steals (second, 772) and free throws (second, 2629).

Beal shot a career-high .506 from the floor this season and was one of only three guards in the NBA to shoot at least .500 from the field and .350 from three-point range (min. 550 FGA). Beal was also one of only four guards in the league to record averages of 20+ points and 5+ assists per game on .500-or-better shooting. By averaging 23.2 points per game this season, Beal (7) surpassed Elvin Hayes (6) for the most 20+ point per game seasons in franchise history.

DC Central Kitchen (DCCK) is an iconic nonprofit and social enterprise that combats hunger and poverty through job training and job creation. The organization provides hands-on culinary job training for individuals facing high barriers to employment while creating living wage jobs and bringing nutritious, dignified food where it is most needed. DCCK’s social ventures include serving scratch-cooked farm-to-school meals in DC schools, delivering fresh, affordable produce to corner stores in neighborhoods without supermarkets, and operating a fast-casual cafe. DCCK has been featured in national media including The Washington Post, The Atlantic, National Geographic, PBS NewsHour, and more. To learn more, visit www.dccentralkitchen.org or follow @dccentralkitchen on Instagram.&nbsp;

bradley-beal-donates-to-dc-central-kitchens-summer-meals-project

Bradley Beal Donates to DC Central Kitchen's Summer Meals Project

Luke Askew

After the last matchup between the Wizards and Pistons was decided by a game-winning buzzer-beater, the Wizards came out with a different look in their eyes in this rematch. Fueled by Bradley Beal's 36 points, the Wizards came away with a 117-97 wire-to-wire victory over the Pistons.

The Wizards knew the assignment on Tuesday night. They had to bring energy right from the jump, attack the rim, and set the tone in the first quarter. They didn't miss a single step.

Kristaps Porzingis got the scoring started with a finger roll off an easy cut to the rim after a Beal screen. The Wizards then forced a tough shot, hauled in the defensive rebound, and worked the ball around on the offensive end. They found Porzingis posting up on a mismatch with the 6-foot-4 R.J. Hampton as the lone defender. Porzingis caught the ball and immediately spun around for a quick mid-range jumper to give the Wizards a quick 4-0 lead.

That dominance continued for the entirety of the first quarter. Offensively, Washington was working like a well-oiled machine, snapping the ball around the perimeter, getting two feet in the paint, and creating high-percentage looks for everyone on the floor. They started the game 12-of-15 shooting from the field with their only three misses coming on good looks from behind the arc that just didn't drop.

The Wizards ended the first quarter with a 38-20 lead behind stellar play from Beal, Deni Avdija, Corey Kispert, Monte Morris, and Johnny Davis. In those first 12 minutes, the Wizards dished out 11 assists on their 15 made field goals.

After the opening frame, Washington never looked back. Beal kept getting better and better. Avdija was impactful on both ends of the floor. Porzingis was a one-man defensive show (he finished the game with four blocks and three steals). And Kispert was a versatile weapon that kept the offense spaced and in rhythm.

The Wizards eventually took a 25-point lead late in the third quarter. Despite a spirited attempt at a comeback early in the fourth quarter by the Pistons, the Wizards never let them get fully back in the game. With Beal leading the way, the Wizards closed every door the Pistons tried to open. Final score: Wizards 117, Pistons 97.

Beal had one of his most impressive showings of the season. From the opening moments of the game, it was clear he was in rhythm. With Kyle Kuzma sidelined due to knee soreness, it would've been understandable if Beal found himself hunting for shots to get the offense going. But he didn't do that. Instead, he kept things moving, found the open man, got out in transition, relocated off the ball, and knocked down the shots the defense gave him.

When the Pistons went on a 14-0 extended run from the final play of the third quarter into the opening few minutes of the fourth quarter, it was Beal who checked in and turned things around. He subbed into the game with 8:15 left, and over the next five minutes of game time, he led the Wizards on an 18-6 run, putting the proverbial nail in the coffin and securing the much-needed win.

Beal finished the game with 36 points on an absurdly efficient 13-of-15 shooting from the field, 4-of-6 shooting from three, and 6-of-6 shooting from the free-throw line to go along with seven assists, six rebounds, two steals, and one block. He was also a +38 (yes, you read that correctly) in 33 minutes of action.

Looking for an additional punch off the bench, Wizards head coach Wes Unseld Jr. went to Davis early in this game. Davis checked in with 3:12 remaining in the first quarter and promptly made an impact on the game.

30 seconds after checking in, he pulled up for a mid-range jumper and splashed it home. A few possessions later, he cut off the ball and wisely positioned himself around the hoop where Delon Wright found him for the layup. Davis notched four points in the opening quarter.

On the Wizards' first possession of the second quarter, Davis worked a give-and-go with Porzingis to perfection, finishing with a lay-in at the rim. A couple of minutes later, he had one of the nicest plays of his young NBA career, out-muscling the Pistons for a tough defensive rebound and immediately pushing the ball in transition. He used his dribble to weave between defenders and then finished with a beautiful left-handed layup. Before you knew it, the rookie guard had eight points in seven minutes.

Davis finished the game with a career-high 11 points on 5-of-11 shooting from the field to go along with five boards.

"I think just the level of comfortability that he showed tonight is a big step," said Unseld Jr. "Make or miss, I like his process. I like how he played. His demeanor on the floor. He was engaged and locked in defensively. So I think there was a lot of growth there."

recap-beals-36-points-propel-wizards-to-117-97-win-over-pistons

Recap: Beal's 36 points propel Wizards to 117-97 win over Pistons

wasthenao

Highlights from Bradley Beal's 36 points (6 reb, 7 ast) in the Wizards 117-97 victory over the Pistons on Tuesday night in D.C.

highlights-bradley-beal-vs-pistons-march-14

Highlights: Bradley Beal vs Pistons // March 14

Highlights from Bradley Beal's 32 points (7 reb, 7 ast) in the Wizards 119-117 victory over the Pistons on Tuesday night in Detroit.

highlights-bradley-beal-at-pistons-march-7

Highlights: Bradley Beal at Pistons // March 7

The Wizards (30-34) are coming off back-to-back tough losses in D.C. and are headed to Detroit looking to get back on track in a Tuesday night showdown with the Pistons (15-49). Here's everything you need to know.

WHERE: Little Caesars Arena (Detroit, MI)WHEN: 7:00 p.m. ETTV: NBCSWRADIO: The Team 980 & The Wizards App

WIZARDS:Monte Morris (low back soreness -- questionable) Kyle Kuzma (right knee soreness -- questionable)

This matchup between the Wizards and Pistons features two unique skill sets. The Pistons have an uncanny ability to draw fouls. They're first in the league in free-throw attempts per game at 26.8.

Conversely, the Wizards are one of the top teams in the league at defending without fouling. They're eighth in the league in blocks per game at 5.2, but they foul at the fifth-lowest rate in the league (18.9 per game) and give up the fifth-fewest free-throw attempts (22.0 per game).

Maintaining that level of discipline will be key when going against a Pistons team that loves to get to the charity stripe. Whether it's Delon Wright and Deni Avdija on the perimeter, or Kristaps Porzingis and Daniel Gafford around the rim, the Wizards can put themselves in a good position to win if they can defend without fouling.

Offensively, the Wizards should be able to accomplish one of the things they've been focusing on all season long: a ferocious paint attack. The Pistons are a young team, and defensively that can make things tough. Whether it's point-of-attack defense or rim protection, they're usually relying on young guys to get the job done. For that reason, they're 29th in the league in opponent points in the paint, giving up 54.7 per game.

The Wizards have been hovering right around the middle of the pack in points in the paint all season long. Currently, they're 16th, scoring 50.4 points per game. Watch for the Wizards to attempt to exploit the Pistons' lack of experience as they continuously attack the rim.

One of the ways the Wizards can best put pressure on the rim is with their leading scorer and creator, Bradley Beal.

Beal is having an incredibly efficient season, averaging 23.1 points per game on over 50% shooting from the field. He's been solid all season, but lately, his aggression has increased, and that's shown in his scoring numbers.

In Sunday's loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, Beal was dominant on offense. He had a rough start to the game, but he relentlessly attacked switches, creating quality looks for himself for the entirety of the contest. In the second half, the shots were dropping. His game-high 33 points on 15-of-32 shooting from the field was one of the main reasons the Wizards were able to keep things close and have a chance to steal a win late in the game against the Eastern Conference's top team.

If Beal is as persistent against the Pistons as he was against the Bucks, the Wizards will be in good shape.