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For Bradley Beal, the past few days have been emotionally tough.
Perhaps the Wizards organization was ready to leave John Wall – in particular replacing him with a healthier and better Russell Westbrook at this point. Wizards fans were ready to move on from a backcourt that hadn’t lived up to the hype and their hopes. But Beal wasn’t entirely with them – he understands why the trade has gone down, but Beal has never played for an NBA team without Wall on the roster, and they were close.
“It has been an emotional week,” Beal said Friday during a Zoom call with reporters. “It’s been really tough 24/48/72 hours here, just kind of let it all creep in and realize your brother isn’t here with you anymore…
“Honestly, I don’t know,” Beal said when asked what it would be like to play without Wall. “My whole career, all I know is John. Today was really weird. It will be different. It will be competitive, I’m sure. He will probably try to [put up] 60 years old, but it will be love.
Beal also took to Instagram to express his appreciation for Wall as a friend.
“Wall / Beal hated himself was the greatest amount of BS we’ve endured, but you and I know the REAL!” You are my 4L brother and this connection is much more important than this game we are playing!
Beal also understood the opportunity presented to him to play alongside the “triple-double walking” that is Russell Westbrook. He noted that Westbrook is a true playmaker and that Beal himself is a true two-guard, and together he thinks that will help them mesh.
“I don’t think it’s going to be anything where he comes and tries to run the show and do it all on his own …” Beal said of Westbrook. “Everyone thinks Russ is super aggressive, but I like aggression.”
Scott Brooks has work to do for Westbrook and Beal to adjust, along with Davis Bertans, Rui Hachimura, Thomas Bryant, and just wrote Deni Avdija (who Beal says has “a dog in him”). The elements of a playoff team are there, so everyone can fit in and stay healthy.
The Wizards will travel to Houston to take on Wall and the Rockets – who also have this James Harden guy – on January 26. Wall’s return to Washington DC is scheduled for February 15.
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