By extending for a very big jackpot at the Wizards during the Free Agency, Bradley Beal not only filled his bank account properly but he also confirmed his loyalty to his lifelong franchise. Superteams aren’t really his thing. What he wants is to win in Washington and nowhere else. Good luck huh.
Bradley Beal is the man of one franchise. At least for now. Selected in third position during the 2012 NBA Draft, Bealou is still evolving in the US capital a decade later, he has just extended the adventure to DC for another five years and 251 million dollars. 251 million reasons to stay, some will say, but the man’s loyalty is real and he reaffirmed his objectives during a press conference on Friday following the formalization of his new deal. And his ultimate goal at Bradley Beal is to bring a champion banner back to the White House, which would be a first since… 1978. Yeah, it goes back, but the challenge doesn’t scare the All-back. Star despite five consecutive seasons without the slightest series of Playoffs won. Beal wants to do like Dirk Nowitzki, he wants to do like Giannis Antetokounmpo, guys who managed to take their team to the top without ever looking elsewhere. A rarity in the era of superteams which have seen some of the biggest stars team up to chain the bagouzes.
“To try anything and get there would mean everything to me,” Beal said via NBC Sports Washington. “It would mean a lot more than just going out and playing with four All-Stars. »
We know some people who don’t agree with that. But Bealou remains faithful to his principles. And as he says, joining a dream team with other All-Stars is not necessarily synonymous with a title or even personal fulfillment.
“I’ve talked to guys who’ve done this. It doesn’t always go very well. It’s not always fun. It doesn’t always turn out the way you imagine. You think you know a guy and it’s just the opposite. This is what we are seeing.
So you follow your path, you welcome the situation with open arms. This franchise has always been there for me. I believe deep in my heart that I can win here. »
If we can have some doubts regarding the ability of Beal’s Wizards to go one day, the main interested party makes a point regarding the challenges surrounding a superteam. The Nets are the latest, and perhaps the most telling, example of the fragility that can surround a successful all-star association. A little over a week following Kevin Durant’s transfer request, Brooklyn’s championship project already seems to be history, Kyrie Irving also being on the way out and James Harden having already packed his bags to join Philly several months ago. The 2021-22 version of the Lakers “superteam” represents another monumental fail, they who did not even manage to reach the play-in tournament this year despite a very large roster on paper. All that to say that star pairings via the Free Agency or big transfers may not be as fashionable as they were a few years ago, especially with Milwaukee title in 2021 and Golden State in 2022. And Bradley Beal would like to in turn represent this change in trend by taking his original franchise as high as possible.
Under contract until 2027 with the Wizards and even having a no-trade clause as well as a player option for the last year, Bealou has total control over his future. And his future, he sees it only in Washington, where he hopes one day to win this famous NBA title. He is very optimistic, but we can only underline his perseverance.
Source texte : NBC Sports Washington