Two Celtics Rivals Reportedly Viewed As ‘Prominent Suitors’ For Bradley Beal

Bradley Beal reportedly is working with the Washington Wizards to facilitate a trade that pleases both the three-time NBA All-Star and the only organization he’s ever played for.

And two Eastern Conference contenders are viewed as potential landing spots for Beal, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.

Charania wrote Wednesday both the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks are expected to be “prominent suitors” for the 29-year-old guard.

The Heat are coming off an NBA Finals appearance in which they lost to the eventual champion Denver Nuggets. The Bucks, who were eliminated by the Heat in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, finished the 2022-23 campaign with the league’s best regular-season record.

Beal landing with either of those two clubs would not ideal for the Boston Celtics, who long have been connected to Beal considering his relationship with Boston superstar Jayson Tatum. And while the trade packages that would have to add up financially in order to land Beal might be significant, his arrival likely would make either of those two franchises better.

Beal just concluded the first year of his five-year, $251 million contract. He carries cap hits of $46 million, $50 million, $53 million and $57 million during each of the next four seasons before he will become a free agent after his age-33 campaign.

Beal is not the first star to be linked to Miami this spring. The Heat also have been connected to Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard and impending free agent Kyrie Irving, who finished the recent campaign with the Dallas Mavericks.