There are no guarantees in Bradley Beal the player. There’s also no denying that Beal is a top three — if not top one — NBA Draft target of the Washington Wizards.
So, as reports surface that the Cleveland Cavaliers have theirs sights set on trading up to steal Beal, and that their presumed trading partner, the Charlotte Bobcats, have a new coach going on record saying that trading down from the No. 2 pick “makes a lot of sense,” Wizards fans, at least those in favor of Beal, are starting to hit the panic button.
Even today, a local sportscaster for Cleveland’s Fox station, John Telich, is tweeting: “Hearing Cavs /Bobcats talking. #Cavs want #2 pick..would give #4 #24 #34 #NBADraft.”
So, despite reports from ESPN’s Chad Ford that the Cavaliers are hesitant to give up the 24th pick (and that the Wizards themselves may be willing to give up the 32nd pick to ensure their selection of Beal), the latest signs point to Beal being Cleveland’s for the taking. How bad do they want him playing next to Kyrie Irving?
Yesterday on TAI we wondered which player should be the Wizards’ Plan B if Beal is off the board when they pick. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s 36.7-percent of the vote barely eked out the 32.3-percent who preferred Harrison Barnes. (BTW, if Washington’s Chris Singleton were drafting for the Wizards, he’d take Barnes over Beal, with Kidd-Gilchrist off the board at No. 2. More on that in the “If I were the general manager…” feature by ESPN The Magazine that asked NBA players to mock draft for their respective teams. Beal went 19th to the Orlando Magic, selected by J.J. Redick, if you must know.)
Tags: Bradley Beal, harrison barnes, michael kidd-gilchrist, mock draft, NBA Draft
