NBA Trade Machine: Can Philadelphia 76ers acquire Bradley Beal by selling key assets like Tyrese Maxey?

Bradley Beal is one of the NBA's most prolific scorers. Despite dealing with injuries over the last few years, the Washington Wizards shooting guard could drastically impact several teams in the league, including the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 76ers have done a great job so far this season with a 33-17 record. Despite their early struggles, Joel Embiid and the squad have bounced back and currently have the fourth-best record in the league.

However, the Sixers may not have enough pieces to win the East. While they are a dangerous team, they might be another star player away from beating other contenders, such as the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks.

If Philadelphia can acquire Bradley Beal by the trade deadline, which is on Feb. 9, there is no doubt that the roster will be more competitive come playoff time. However, the Sixers have to give up several assets for the shooting guard.

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Can Bradley Beal be traded to Philadelphia 76ers by the trade deadline?

Bradley Beal is on a $43.3 million contract in the 2022-23 season, so to trade for him, the Philadelphia 76ers would need to match the salaries of the players they send to the Washington Wizards.

Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid and James Harden all have contracts of more than $33 million, so one of them would have to be traded. Considering that Embiid is untouchable and that Harden is amazing, the odd man out is Harris.

Trading Harris for Beal cannot be done straight away, which is why the Sixers need to add another player to the mix. Tyrese Maxey, a fantastic guard who is in his third year in the league, would be a perfect addition.

Trading Beal to the 76ers would require Tobias Harris (Image via ESPN)

Embiid is reportedly interested in playing alongside Bradley Beal and wanted the 76ers to acquire him last season. Considering that the Wizards guard has four more years left on his contract, he and Embiid could stay in the City of Brotherly Love for a long time.

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While Beal could drastically improve the team, it's important to note that the three-time All-Star has a no-trade clause in his contract. This means that the Wizards cannot trade him unless he approves the trade.

Involving a third team in a Bradley Beal trade would make sense (Image via Getty Images)

Aside from trading with each other, the 76ers and Wizards could potentially find a third team to be involved in the trade. The New York Knicks seem interested in moving a few of their pieces, so adding them to the mix would make sense.

The Knicks could use this trade to get rid of Evan Fournier's contract. He has two more years left on it, yet he's having one of the worst seasons of his career.

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What's in it for the Washington Wizards?

Despite having the longest winning streak at the moment with six games, the Washington Wizards (24-26) simply haven't been successful with Bradley Beal. Keeping him in the Nation's Capital for four more years doesn't sound like a recipe for success.

Tyrese Maxey is only 22 and is having another great season, averaging 20.2 points per game. The guard is also on a rookie-scale contract, meaning that the Wizards could extend it.

Maxey is one of the best young players in the NBA (Image via Getty Images)

Tobias Harris is having the worst season of his tenure with the 76ers and could use a change of scenery. While he is massively overpaid, the forward has only one more year left on his contract.

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The Wizards may not be willing to take Fournier's contract, but it's important to add that he has a team option for the 2024-25 season. Thanks to this, the team would be able to terminate his contract and make him a free agent.

Finally, the 76ers could add one of their future draft picks to sweeten the deal and acquire the shooting guard.