Like the previous offseasons, Washington Wizards shooting guard Bradley Beal is expected to be one of the biggest names on the rumor mill this summer. The Wizards may have said on numerous occasions that they have no intention of trading Beal and undergoing a full-scale rebuild.
But with their failure to build a title contender around him, most people believe that it would only be a matter of time before Beal follows in other superstars' footsteps and starts finding his way out of Washington.
Once he expresses his desire to leave, the Wizards would be left with no choice but to listen to offers for Beal this summer. One of the dark-horse suitors for Beal on the trade market is the Charlotte Hornets.
After years of rebuilding the team, the Hornets took a massive leap in the 2021-22 NBA season, where they successfully qualified for the play-in tournament. However, to have a realistic chance of making considerable noise in the Eastern Conference, the Hornets need more star power around LaMelo Ball.
Targeting a player of Beal's caliber would come with a price. To convince the Wizards to send Beal to Charlotte, the Hornets should be prepared to pay the king's ransom. In a recent article, James Piercey of NBA Analysis Network came up with a hypothetical blockbuster trade idea to enable the Hornets to acquire Beal from the Wizards this summer.
In the proposed trade scenario, the Hornets would be offering a trade package that includes Gordon Hayward, Kai Jones, a 2022 first-round pick, a 2025 first-round pick, and a 2027 first-round pick to the Wizards in exchange for Beal.
Giving up all those assets for Beal would be a no-brainer for the Hornets, especially if they are serious about becoming a more competitive team in the Eastern Conference.
Beal's arrival in Charlotte would significantly improve their offense and allow them to create an explosive backcourt duo with Ball in the 2022-23 NBA season. Beal would give the Hornets a prolific scorer, a great playmaker, and a decent floor spacer.
This season, the 28-year-old superstar averaged 23.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 6.6 assists while shooting 45.1 percent from the field and 30.0 percent from beyond the arc. Before they push through with the trade, the Hornets should first convince Beal to sign a massive contract extension.
The proposed blockbuster trade with the Hornets would make a lot of sense for the Wizards, especially if Beal is no longer interested in being the face of the franchise. Instead of keeping a disgruntled superstar on their roster, the suggested deal would enable the Wizards to turn Beal's expiring contract into a young and promising player in Jones and three future first-round picks.
Hayward is mainly included in the deal for salary-matching purposes. While finding a new team willing to absorb his contract, the Wizards could ask him to mentor their young core.
