Bradley Beal wants a max deal. Sure, and a presidential race without acrimony would be nice, too. Somehow, neither seems on the radar.
When the Washington Wizards' guard plays the maximum number of games per season, then maybe he deserves a maximum-salary deal. Until then -- no.
Yet, the Wizards are reportedly readying a max five-year deal worth $21.6 annually when NBA free agency begins July 1. This is why the Wizards have often stunk for much of the past generation. Fans must be nearly 50 years old to remember when the franchise was consistently good, given the string of personnel blunders.
In four seasons, Beal has never been named an All-Star. He's never played more than 73 of 82 games during a single season, and he missed 27 contests last season with stress fractures. Beal plays on one wheel too often and then sits for weeks. This is not who you give a max deal, yet it will be another of the many bad moves by general manager Ernie Grunfeld, who, for some reason, is still employed by the team despite years of ineptitude.
