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Wizards ready to do whatever it takes to keep Beal in Washington

According to a new piece from Real GM, the Wizards appear to be ready to meet whatever salary demands Beal might make when he becomes eligible for a contract extension.

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In news that will surprise roughly nobody who follows the Wizards, Washington will do whatever it takes to keep Bradley Beal as part of the franchise for the long term future.

In a profile of the Wizards shooting guard by Shams Charania at Real GM, Beal says that he doesn't get too caught up in the financial side of things.

Money never will change who I am.  I kind of distance myself from the business part because when you get too caught up in money, it takes your mind off why you really play the game. I play for the love of it.

Nevertheless, the business side of things will have to be dealt with in the either by next fall, when the Wizards can extend Beal's contract, or in restricted free agency in 2016.  The market for young shooting guards has already been impacted by the recent resigning of Klay Thompson to a big extension with the Golden State Warriors. Beal would seem poised to command a similar figure.

The question as to what Beal's value on the market is remains to be determined, but Charania indicates it will likely be high:

As league executives believe in Beal’s ability to command a maximum salary extension, the Wizards have made clear around the NBA that they’ll do whatever necessary to secure Beal’s long-term deal, sources told RealGM

A lot can happen in a year, and we still don't know what the Salary Cap will be going forward, so this is all a little premature.  We shouldn't get too caught up in speculating in a potential free agency that would take place two years from now.