Days after their failed attempt to trade for superstar guard Russell Westbrook, the Miami Heat are still making a concerted effort to acquire another All-Star.
According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, trade talks with the Oklahoma City Thunder for Westbrook fell apart because the Heat refused to include first-round draft pick Tyler Herro in any proposed deal.
Now, the Heat have turned their attention to trying to pry star guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards, who the team appears to have a “strong interest” in, according to Jackson. Beal has two years remaining on his contract and is expected to be offered a contract extension later this month by the Wizards.
But there is a growing feeling around the NBA that Beal won’t accept the extension, and if he doesn’t, the Wizards will be forced to eventually trade him or lose him in free agency in 2021.
The Heat may even be willing to take on the final four years of John Wall’s mammoth contract in order to entice the Wizards to send them Beal. Wall tore his Achilles this past season and is currently rehabbing.
But the Wizards have made it known publicly that they have no intention of trading either player.
The Heat are also considering trading for Chris Paul, recently acquired by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Westbrook trade, but the $124 million Paul is owed over the next three years seems to necessitate that the Thunder sweeten the pot to get the Heat to pull the trigger.