WASHINGTON — I'll be the first to admit I don't watch all that much NBA. I'll catch the highlights online, watch the playoffs and tune in if there's a big storyline.
But if the Wizards or Celtics happen to be on national TV, I'll almost always flip over to catch at least a few minutes of Bradley Beal or Jayson Tatum in action. It's just my duty as a good St. Louisan.
So far this season Beal and Tatum both look like top 10 players in the league.
But the situation for one of them is just depressing. Bradley Beal is being wasted in Washington. Someone please come and save him.
Beal is currently leading the entire league in scoring at 34.9 points per game. That's nearly seven points higher than the next highest player! He's just flat out owning everyone.
There's just one problem. His team, per usual, is not very good. The Wizards are off to just a 3-8 start to the season and sit at 13th in the Eastern Conference.
A week ago Beal scored a career-high 60 points against the Philadelphia 76ers. The only problem? The Wizards still lost by five points. Beal said he was "pissed off" after the game. And he has right to be. The man scored 60 points and his team still managed to lose? Come on.
New addition Russell Westbrook hasn't exactly been the star Washington was hoping for so far, and this new duo just may not be the right mix.
It's a darn shame that Beal, as one of the best players in the league, still isn't getting his proper respect around the country because of the team he plays on.
He got snubbed off of last year's All-Star team, and with a lack of Wizards games getting top billing on TV, casual fans may not know just how great he is.
On Wednesday we finally saw James Harden get his wish out of Houston after what seemed like an endless stream of drama. He's heading to Brooklyn to join one of the top title contenders in the Nets.
Now Beal doesn't strike me as the guy who's going to come out and throw a fit to be traded. He's going to go about his business wherever it's at. But the guy deserves a bigger stage and audience.
He's still just 27 years old and signed a $72 million extension that runs at least through the 2021-2022 season. But these are prime years where he could be helping a team to a championship somewhere.
So the rest of the NBA, I'm begging you. Now that the Harden debacle seems resolved, Beal should be the biggest fish on the trade market.
Please someone save him and give him the stage his talent deserves.