It was recently reported that the Washington Wizards had made a "good" offer for Memphis Grizzlies forward Rudy Gay. Now, Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal reports that the centerpiece of that offer was No. 3 overall draft pick Bradley Beal.
Rudy Gay trade rumors: Wizards reportedly offered Bradley Beal
Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal reports that the Wizards offered the Grizzlies Bradley Beal as part of a larger package for Rudy Gay.
There have seemingly been daily rumors involving potential Gay deals, but Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien has refused to comment on any of them. Memphis is entertaining the thought of trading Gay in order to avoid luxury tax penalties now and in the future. Gay will make about $16.5 million this season and is set to earn more than $37 million over the next two seasons, which is a hefty price tag for a good but not elite player.
However, with the Grizzlies near the top of the Western Conference, they have no intention on simply giving away their leading scorer this season just to save money. Tillery reports that Gay is likely to stick around through the remainder of this year before the team becomes really serious about trading him in the offseason. If a trade was to be made before the Feb. 21 deadline, it would have to be a “no-brainer.”
Beal would be an intriguing young piece to add to the Grizzlies’ talented roster, but he still is very raw and the team would likely take quite a step back if it went through with that deal. Memphis is currently 24-11 and fourth in the tough Western Conference.
UPDATE: Mark Bartelstein, Beal’s agent, says the Wizards’ rookie has not been offered to Memphis in a potential trade for Rudy Gay. From the Washington Post: “I’ve talked to both teams. There is absolutely nothing to it.”
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