Prior to his departure from the Washington Wizards to join the Los Angeles Lakers, All-Star point guard Russell Westbrook tried his best to convince superstar forward Bradley Beal to request a trade out of Washington.
According to the Athletic, Beal declined Westbrook’s push to request a trade:
“And before Westbrook resorted to calling Leonsis, he had tried to convince Beal in the weeks leading up to the draft that they should both ask out of Washington, according to sources. Short of Beal showing a desire to also request a trade, Westbrook was hopeful Beal would at least support his efforts to get to L.A. — which, sources said, Beal did.”
Beal may not be signing a new long-term contract with the Wizards, who have struggled to be competitive for years, despite a playoff run this past season. However, Beal seems to opt to part with the organization without the drama of a trade request at this time.