The Washington Wizards may be the next team in line for franchise relocation. Over 10 years since the Sonics moved to Oklahoma City, the records show that the Wizards are strongly considering packing up and moving from the nation’s capital over to Virginia as part of a multi-million dollar deal. Speaking with Andscape, former Wizards star Bradley Beal spoke up on the news and began the movement to keep the Wizards in Washington.
“There is no moving to Virginia, what is that? Ted, we understand what you’re trying to do, but you can’t take the team out of D.C., it’s Chocolate City! As a league, we gotta keep that… the Wizards have to stay in D.C. The money, it’s out of my hands, out of my control, but I hope the team stays. I think it’s good for the city, I think it creates a bit of a problem if it moves to Virginia. Just keep it in the city, we can make it happen…”
Bradley Beal doesn't want to see the Washington Wizards moved to Virginia
“You can’t move the team out of D.C, it’s chocolate city. As a league we need the [Wizards] to stay in D.C.”
[via @andscape ] pic.twitter.com/7zzQVRlIIZ
— BASKETBALL ON 𝕏 (@BASKETBALLonX) December 23, 2023
The Wizards have undergone multiple rebrands over the years. Starting as the Chicago Packers in 1961, they relocated to Baltimore in 1963 and spent 10 seasons there before finally moving to Washington D.C. as the Bullets in ’73. They became the Wizards two decades later but now it seems another change could be in the works for this underachieving franchise.
Beal Is A Wizards Legend
Bradley Beal is no longer associated with the Washington Wizards, but he’ll always be remembered for his time with the red and blue. In 11 seasons with the team, Beal averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game on 46% shooting. He was the hero in D.C. for many years and led them to some of the best seasons in franchise history. Together, he and John Wall gave the Wizards a sense of pride on the court and they established a culture together that made the Wizards among the most intriguing teams in the East.
Unfortunately, it was just never enough to win when it mattered the most, and by the time Beal left the team in 2023, it was evident that he was never going to win a title there. In Phoenix, Bradley hasn’t had it much easier amid ongoing injury struggles and an inconsistent rotation. But there is still hope that he can bounce back and become the guy that we saw in D.C. for over 10 years.
Wizards Need Fresh Start
Moving to Virginia will not solve any problems for the Wizards, but it could be their best way to reset their place in the league. Historically, the Wizards have always been an underachieving franchise — mired in inconsistency and irrelevance for their entire existence. Currently, the Wizards are on pace for their worst season yet at 5-23 and there are no obvious signs of improvement with Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole leading the way.
The only way forward for the Wizards at this point is to ride out this season and hope to strike gold in the lottery this summer. Because whether the team is in D.C. or Virginia, no free agent is going to sign here unless they make some serious changes from top to bottom.
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