With only a player option remaining on his contract after this season, Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal is poised to hit free agency this summer. Beal is also currently eligible for a four-year, $185.5 million extension with Washington. If he bypasses that opportunity, he can sign a four-year, $186.6 million with someone else or a five-year, $241.6 million deal with the Wizards in the offseason.
However, he’s not rushing any decision and made that clear when he joined Yahoo Sports’ Chris Haynes on Haynes’ “Posted Up” podcast this week.
Posted Up w/ Haynes Pod: Wiz star Bradley Beal on re-signing w/ Jordan Brand & numerous other topics. Why he hasn’t signed max extension?: “I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work. Ultimately you have to be selfish at some point.”
🎧: https://t.co/Tfx91n0o3j pic.twitter.com/4q56uFMgNr
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) December 8, 2021
“I got time. I kinda hold the cards right now. I’ve, one, never been in this position, right? So, I’m kind of embracing that, right? Being able to, OK, dictate how I want my future to be and where I want it to be,” Beal said. “At the same time, I’m giving (Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard) that opportunity to show that it’s working.
“I’m not gonna make that grand commitment and it doesn’t work,” he continued. “Ultimately, you have to be selfish at some point and for probably the first time in my career, year 10, I am.”
While Beal’s priority is maximizing his long-term situation, wherever that may be, he remains focused on cultivating success in Washington and understands the role he plays in ensuring that success can occur there.
“My full commitment is to the team. I want it to work,” he said. “I’ve committed to being here twice and so, now, I wanna see that my commitment to me as well, that we can create a winning team here and winning environment here. Granted, I’m a part of that, so I gotta make sure that I’m stepping up and doing my thing too just as well.”
