Can the Denver Nuggets beat any offer for Bradley Beal?

The Denver Nuggets should be having a quiet 2022 NBA trade deadline but with rumors that high-profile players are on the table, including Bradley Beal, should they push all their chips in for this season?

Denver has been linked to Beal in the past, just as they were rising to prominence, but a deal never materialized and the Nuggets found success with their own young roster. Fast forward to today and both sides are in a very different situation.

Bradley Beal “remains conflicted” on whether to request a trade from the Washington Wizards according to David Aldridge, Josh Robbins of The Athletic, with the assumed trade partner being the Philadelphia 76ers. As the report states:

"“Multiple league sources have indicated Beal remains conflicted. His desire to stay for his entire career with the franchise that took him third overall in 2012 remains genuine. But Beal also remains uncertain about whether the Wizards can surround him with difference-making talent that will make them a regular playoff contender.“His contention in a recent interview with NBC Sports Washington’s Chris Miller that another Play-In Tournament appearance would be a step back for him spoke volumes.”"

When the Denver Nuggets were looking at a Beal trade, no real offer was on the table, it was all hypothetical. Right now, the offer for Bradley is Ben Simmons and nothing else according to The Athletic report, Philly isn’t adding additional assets like draft picks or young players.

If the Wizards do decide to trade Beal (something that there are “no indications the Wizards are seriously considering”) and the offer is Ben Simmons by himself, the Denver Nuggets could trump that offer.

What could the Denver Nuggets potentially offer for Bradley Beal?

This is where it gets tricky. The Denver Nuggets would almost have to include Jamal Murray in any potential deal. Trading for Beal now would be ideal because he could slide right into the lineup with Murray when he’s back to full strength so moving on from Jamal could be a sideways move for the franchise.

Since Michael Porter Jr. signed an extension this past offseason, he’s limited by the poison pill provision. While he might only be making $5.2 million this season, the last season of his rookie contract, in any potential trade, his outgoing salary is treated as if he’s already on the deal, so Washington would be adding $29.6 million for the purpose of a trade.

This makes it difficult, if not impossible, to structure a deal that sends MPJ back in exchange for Beal.

Since the Nuggets were granted a disabled player exception for Porter Jr.’s back injury, a third-party medical team has deemed it more likely than not that he won’t play a game this season. Trading for Beal would mean a playoff push wouldn’t include MPJ this season.

But back to what Denver can offer, here’s what a potential deal would look like with Jamal Murray as the main trade chip:

That offer, while rather exorbitant, beats a straight swap for Ben Simmons in my eyes. Tommy Shepherd could use this as leverage when dealing with Daryl Morey if he so chooses, but if it’s on the table, it trumps Philly.

Should the Denver Nuggets trade for Bradley Beal?

If the poison pill provision didn’t exist and a framework based around Michael Porter Jr. for Bradley Beal worked, then yes. If Jamal comes back by the end of the season, a lineup of Murray, Beal, Will Barton, Aaron Gordon, and Nikola Jokic might be one of the best in the NBA.

But since the deal almost has to include Jamal Murray, it’s less appetizing. Especially since if the Nuggets just don’t make a move, they’ll eventually be fully healthy and will be competing for a title without pushing all their trade assets in.

Another reason to say no is that Beal’s could decline his player option for next season and decide to walk in free agency for nothing. Then the Nuggets would be left without Jamal and next-to-no future assets to improve the team.

What this article does illustrate is that there are other teams out there with the ammunition to make a compelling Bradley Beal offer. Yes, Philly is getting the headlines at the moment, but if Beal wants a trade, it doesn’t have to be to the 76ers.