NBA trade rumors: Timberwolves land Bradley Beal in proposed trade with Wizards
By Will Eudy
There is one major roadblock for the Timberwolves if they were to make a hard push for Bradley Beal. As we know, the team is short on draft picks, which significantly lessens their ability to draw up a compelling offer.
As such, any reasonable proposal to land them Beal would likely have to include Karl-Anthony Towns. If the team is already set on moving KAT to begin with, trading for another perennial All-Star like Beal would seem to be an ideal scenario.
Our proposed three-team deal would involve sending Towns to Atlanta along with Nathan Knight. Washington would receive John Collins and Clint Capela along with the Hawks’ first-round pick in next week’s draft. Beal ends up in Minnesota.
Bringing on Beal would technically bring an $8.7 million salary cap hit on the Wolves. But in reality, they would end up saving money when Karl-Anthony Towns’ supermax kicks in next season. Per his current contract which he signed in 2022, Beal would be under contract in Minnesota through the 2026-27 season, with a player option in his final year.
It is important to note that Beal’s salary under his current contracted is backloaded, meaning he will earn more with each season that passes. If he remained in Minnesota for the next four years, the Timberwolves would be paying him a hefty $57.1 salary by 2026.