Bradley Beal says Trevor Ariza 'up in the air' about return to Washington

Trevor Ariza is proving to be one of the most sought out free agents this summer, with rumors that he’s being courted by multiple teams and that his market value is around $8 million-$10 million.

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All this interest has Ariza contemplating leaving the Washington Wizards, according to his teammate for the past two years, Bradley Beal.

From the Washington Post:

"Beal said he had dinner in Los Angeles with Ariza, who has been courted by a number of teams beyond the Wizards, including the Lakers, the Clippers, Miami, Dallas, Utah, Cleveland and Phoenix.“He’s kind of up in the air, but he loves D.C. for sure,” Beal said during a Wednesday phone interview. “We had a successful season this past season, and he’s a big reason why. He’s definitely considering coming back, and hopefully the front office can lure him back in so we can keep building on last season.”"

While Beal’s “up in the air” comment might not excite those who want Ariza to stay with the Wizards, J. Michael of CSN Washington reported that Washington very well could lock up Ariza soon.

"Ariza was expected to take a few days, after hearing pitches from other teams, before getting on the phone with president Ernie Grunfeld to discuss a possible deal. However, a person with knowledge of the situation said he may have been “inspired” to just get a deal done such as Gortat who didn’t hesitate in re-signing. Plus, Ariza’s relationship with Gortat is rock-solid."

The forward is fresh off an outstanding season with the Wizards, averaging 14.4 points and 6.2 rebounds per game. Keeping Ariza would allow Washington to maintain one of the better starting fives in the Eastern Conference.

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Bradley Beal says Trevor Ariza ‘up in the air’ about return to Washington

By Sam Richmond | Jul 2, 2014