Lakers Rumors: Bradley Beal In L.A.'s Trade Crosshairs

Will Wizards guard Bradley Beal be enough to move the needle for the Lakers?

Among the rumors that have now circulated with trade options becomes Wizards guard Bradley Beal, who have caught the Lakers attention according to Chris Haynes. Beal would surely bring an offensive firepower the Lakers need, but it doesn't seem it will be enough to push the Lakers over the top.

Bringing in Beal would surely mean the departure of Russell Westbrook, or Anthony Davis for that matter, which will push the Lakers back to where they started. Beal brings more of an offensive threat than Westbrook, but grabbing Beal could also mean a loss of draft picks and still a very shallow bench.

The Lakers "are known to covet" Bradley Beal, per @ChrisBHaynes pic.twitter.com/k70eUZa9Xf

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 10, 2022

Even if the Lakers choose to pursue Beal, there may be some contract issues worth monitoring (via RealGm).

The Washington Wizards are not expected to entertain trading Beal unless he requests a trade. Beal re-signed with the Wizards on a five-year, $251 million deal this past offseason. Beal has a full no-trade clause, which could allow him to dictate his next team. 

The Lakers can depart with their Westbrook contract but then bring in another massive Beal contract, if Beal chooses to want to be traded. The Wizards also have a lot of leverage in the situation knowing how valuable Beal is and how much help the Lakers need.

This of course remains speculation and the Lakers can very well go in a completely different direction, but one thing remains certain. The Lakers are heading into some troublesome territory and something needs to be done soon before they ultimately give up on the season.