Daily Digits is a new daily feature we’re doing at Bullets Forever this year where we look at stats about the Wizards. We’ll dive into the numbers, add context, and discuss how they affect the product on the court.

Today’s stat is the number of seasons Bradley Beal has played in the NBA, which is...

7

Before the start of the season, I wrote about the idea of Bradley Beal making an All-NBA team this season and how it could affect Washington’s future. It felt implausible at the time, but now as we pass the halfway point in the season, we can’t ignore the discussion.

If we assume that James Harden, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving are locks to make All-NBA, that leaves three spots open for guards. Beal will face some tough competition against Ben Simmons, Kemba Walker, Victor Oladipo, and Russell Westbrook, but if he drags Washington back into the playoffs and stays healthy (Walker and Beal are the only two in that group who haven’t missed a game) he’ll certainly have a case. The fact that Beal has appeared ahead of Walker, Simmons, and Oladipo in several media ballots for All-Star Game suggests he might be closer to that spot that fan voting would suggest.

If Beal is able to get in there, he will be eligible to sign a Designated Player Veteran Extension for up to four years at up to 35 percent of the salary cap this summer, just like John Wall did in the summer of 2017. Granted, the Wizards don’t have to offer Beal that extension, and they might hesitate on that given how things have gone since John Wall signed his, but then they risk him asking for a trade with two years left on his current deal.

This is just another one of many potential side effects that come along with a never tank approach. As great as it is to watch Beal play so well while carrying the team on his back, it could come with a hefty price to pay at the end.