To say that things have been testy inside the Washingon Wizards organization would be a massive understatement.
The Wizards sit at a putrid 5-11 on the young 2018-19 season. Franchise stars John Wall and Bradley Beal have become the subject of trade of trade rumors. Oh, and Wall got into a heated confrontation with head coach Scott Brooks during a recent practice.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Wall was fined after screaming "(Expletive) you," to Brooks. So yeah, it's safe to say the frustrated and struggling Wizards have had better days.
Following Monday's practice, Beal was blunt in explaining what the drama could lead to for Washington.
"With the news we had today, that’s either going to boost us or (expletive) us up a little bit," Beal said, via Michael Lee of The Athletic. "We’ve already aired out a lot of our problems the last couple of years...We just got to do it on the floor. It’s not like we have bad character guys or bad guys."
RELATED: WASHINGTON WIZARDS ARE OPEN TO TRADING JOHN WALL AND BRADLEY BEAL
Entering play on Tuesday, the Wizards sit 3.5 games behind the surging Charlotte Hornets for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. They host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday, before a difficult three-game stretch against the Toronto Raptors, New Orleans Pelicans and Houston Rockets.
What This Means
If the heated confrontation between Wall and Brooks wasn't a wake-up call for the Wizards, then trading Beal and Wall may be the only solutions in DC. Wall is 28 years of age and only signed a $170 million contract last year.
Beal might be easier to move, as Wojnarowski noted, because he's three years younger and carries a cheaper contract. Wall's recent knee injuries could also scare other teams away.
But if the Wizards can start turning a corner - and thus make a run at the playoffs - then they'll surely stop fielding trade offer for Beal and Wall. The talent is there for Washington to turn it around. Now, it's time to figure things out on the court.