3 trades Warriors can make to blow up the NBA Draft

1. Trade for Bradley Beal

If there is one trade the Warriors could make to cause the rest of the NBA to sound the alarms in complete panic, it is acquiring Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal.

Ahead of the NBA Draft, Bleacher Report’s Jake Fischer reports that there is a belief around the league that Beal is considering requesting a trade from the Wizards ahead of the event. Whether he does so remains to be seen. But, days prior, Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic reports that Beal is at the top of the Warriors’ offseason wishlist if he were made available by the Wizards.

Beal is scheduled to make $34.5 million in base salary this upcoming season and has a $37.3 million player option for the 2022-23 season.

This past season, Beal’s play (and the triple-doubles by Russell Westbrook) helped lead the Wizards to the playoffs after they defeated the Indiana Pacers in the play-in round. Washington ended up being eliminated by the Philadelphia 76ers in five games in the first round.

Through 60 games this past season, Beal averaged 31.3 points (career-high), 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists while posting a field-goal percentage of 48.5 (career-best) and a three-point percentage of 34.9.

Adding Beal would give the Warriors a juggernaut of a starting rotation heading into next season. Golden State is set to lose Kelly Oubre Jr. to free agency. Can you imagine if the Warriors effectively replace him with Beal to play alongside Curry and Thompson? That would make the Warriors the favorites to represent the West in the 2022 NBA Finals.

Again, this is all contingent on Beal requesting a trade from the Wizards. If he does, the Warriors could blow up the NBA Draft by acquiring him.