Washington Wizards star shooting guard Bradley Beal's 2021-22 season is over.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Tuesday afternoon that Beal plans to undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist. His agent, Mark Bartelstein, confirmed the news to Woj.
This injury has impacted Beal for a few weeks. He's played in 40 of the Wizards' 53 games played entering Tuesday. His production has slipped this season, too. Beal averaged a career-high 31.3 points per game last season, but that output has dropped to just 23.2 points per game during the 2021-22 campaign. He's also shooting a lackluster 30.3 percent from 3-point range.
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This injury could change the Wizards' plans before Thursday's NBA trade deadline. Instead of adding to their roster and trying to secure a spot in the Eastern Conference play-in tournament, it's probably wiser for the Wizards to become sellers and stockpile assets for the future. Washington has lost eight of its last nine games.
Beal's future also is a popular topic. He's able to become an unrestricted free agent this summer by declining the player option in his contract. He's also able to sign a five-year, $240 million max contract to remain with the Wizards long term.
Beal could take his talents to another team, too. The Boston Celtics often are a rumored/speculated destination for Beal given his longtime friendship with C's star Jayson Tatum. They've been friends since childhood. A trio of Tatum, Beal and Jaylen Brown would make the Celtics legit contenders in the East.
This offseason could be a pretty exciting one for the NBA with James Harden and Beal able to test free agency, as well as the ongoing Ben Simmons drama. There could be plenty of stars changing teams over the next four or five months.