Agent: Beal back to Wizards for 5 years, $251M

All-Star guard Bradley Beal has agreed to a five-year, $251 million most contract to stick with the Washington Wizards, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Precedence Sports activities tells ESPN as NBA free company opened Thursday.

Beal, who has performed his complete 10-year profession with the Wizards, has now dedicated himself to the franchise all through his prime.

Beal, who turned 29 earlier this week, averaged 23.2 factors, 4.7 rebounds and 6.6 assists in 40 video games for Washington final season earlier than present process season-ending wrist surgical procedure in February. That was preceded by two seasons by which Beal averaged at the very least 30 factors per sport — together with 31.3 factors per sport throughout 60 video games through the 2020-21 season.

The No. 3 choose within the 2012 NBA draft, Beal is within the prime 5 in a number of all-time statistical classes for the Wizards — together with making, and trying, probably the most 3-pointers in group historical past. Now, he’ll get an opportunity to take goal at just about each statistical mark the franchise has to supply.

Washington hopes these milestones will probably be accompanied by victories. The Wizards, after making the Japanese Convention semifinals three out of 4 years earlier in Beal’s profession, have reached the postseason simply as soon as prior to now 4 years, when Washington exited in 5 video games in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers within the first spherical of the 2021 NBA playoffs.

Final yr, with Beal sidelined for half the season, the Wizards completed in twelfth place within the East — a distant eight video games out of the tenth and closing play-in match spot within the East.

Now, Washington will wait and see what Beal seems to be like alongside the group’s marquee midseason addition: heart Kristaps Porzingis, who has but to play a sport with Beal after being acquired in a take care of the Dallas Mavericks.

The Wizards, below second-year coach Wes Unseld Jr. and group president of basketball operations Tommy Sheppard, added to the roster earlier this week by sending out guards Ish Smith and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in alternate for guards Monte Morris and Will Barton, with Morris set to take over because the group’s start line guard alongside Beal in Washington’s backcourt.

Washington additionally has a number of younger gamers who might play a task, together with the group’s previous 4 first-round picks: guard Johnny Davis, the tenth choose on this yr’s draft, and forwards Corey Kispert, Rui Hachimura and Deni Avdija.