Is a Bradley Beal-Russell Westbrook trade between the Wizards and Lakers

Bradley Beal was right. Speculation about his Washington Wizards future will never end.

Let’s flash back to July 8, the day the Wizards held a news conference to celebrate re-signing Beal to a five-year, $251 million contract that included a no-trade clause. When Beal was asked how much he hoped the new contract would end rumors that he will leave Washington, he had a blunt, but prescient, answer. “It’s never going to end,” he said. “It’s not, because now you guys are going to be like, ‘Oh, when’s he gonna lift his clause?’ It’s never going to stop.”

It’s already begun, including within The Athletic. This week, none other than our very own John Hollinger, a former Memphis Grizzlies executive, wrote he’s “immediately drawn” to the idea of the Los Angeles Lakers trading Russell Westbrook and at least one future draft pick to Washington for Beal.

Speaking of Beal, Hollinger wrote: “He is one of the few star players who can easily fit in as a third option next to James and Davis, yet is good enough to take over as the lead operator when James is off the court. Moving him to L.A. also seems like one of the few options that would save Washington from a disastrous no-trade clause in Beal’s generous five-year, $251 million deal. It would let the Wizards re-sign Kyle Kuzma without going into the luxury tax and likely leave enough cap room to ink another starter-caliber player too.”

But how realistic is that trade idea? To answer that question, The Athletic has convened Lakers beat writer Jovan Buha with Wizards beat writer Josh Robbins for a roundtable discussion.

Josh Robbins: It was inevitable that this trade idea would emerge, especially if the Wizards started to struggle — and struggle they have. The injury-riddled Wizards had lost 10 straight games before they defeated the Suns 113-110 Tuesday night in Phoenix.

The Lakers have a rich history of getting guys they covet through trades, among them Dwight Howard in 2012, Anthony Davis in 2019 and Westbrook himself last year from the Wizards.

Jovan, you reported a week ago that the Lakers have interest in Beal, along with Kevin Durant and Damian Lillard. For anyone who isn’t fully up-to-date on the Lakers’ situation, why would the team covet Beal? How would he fit in?

Jovan Buha: The Lakers are always star-hunting. It’s embedded in the franchise’s DNA. And, as history shows, they rarely go longer than a few years without adding the next torch-bearer.

The 29-year-old Beal fits the bill of an All-Star in his prime. He would improve the Lakers in both the short term and long term. As Hollinger wrote, he’s an ideal third star who would complement James and Davis perfectly. He’s a good high-volume 3-point shooter who is more than capable of running the offense when James is off the floor. Beal is the best fit among the third options that the Lakers have either acquired or considered acquiring (Westbrook, Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan).

Westbrook has thrived…