The Washington Wizards believe that they have one of the best backcourt duos in the league with John Wall and Bradley Beal. That is why they signed John Wall to a max contract of five years and $84 million before the 2014 season. Now it is Beal's turn to get a nice pay raise as he prepares to be a restricted free agent in 2016. Once the official NBA offseason begins, Beal will be eligible to sign a contract, but fans might not want to bank on that happening.
According to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post, Beal's contract situation is complicated and could make for a difficult offseason for the Wizards. Castillo breaks down the situation saying that if Beal were to sign a max contract, it would be projected at $89 million which is 25 percent of the salary cap in 2016. Beal would officially become the highest paid player on the roster. Castillo believes the best move for the Wizards financially is to have Beal wait until he is officially a restricted free agent to get a contract in order to be a smaller hit on the cap which would allow the Wizards to sign other players as well.
The Washington Post reports that the only concern is that Beal leaves in free agency. While the Wizards will likely match any offer placed on the star, the situation with Chandler Parsons and the Houston Rockets is an example that that does not always happen. Beal has said nothing regarding his upcoming free agency so everything is mere speculation, but normally players do not like being told to wait for more money.
The Wizards would like the be active this offseason. According to ESPN.com, the Wizards intend to build around Wall and Beal. They would like to get help in the front court which could include players like DeAndre Jordan, Roy Hibbert or potentially Greg Monroe depending on contract demands. With Nene approaching 33 while being in the final year of his contract, getting size back on the roster is important. Otto Porter has been groomed to replace Paul Pierce if he retires while a trade for Kevin Durant is still lingering around.