Beal knows teams are trying to trade for him: 'That's not a secret'

With Bradley Beal's contract with the Washington Wizards winding down, the 27-year-old knows he's a potential trade target for opposing teams looking to add an All-Star-caliber shooting guard.

"Team are trying," Beal told New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick and co-host Tommy Alter on "The Old Man and the Three" podcast. "A lot of them are calling (the Wizards). A lot of them are inquiring and putting packages together, and trying to see if they can get me. That's not a secret; they've been doing that for the last couple years."

Beal is owed $28.8 million for 2020-21, after which the two-year extension he agreed to in 2019 kicks in. However, he can become an unrestricted free agent as early as the 2022 offseason since he has a player option for 2022-23.

Should Beal reach free agency, he'll likely have no shortage of suitors. Though the Wizards have missed the playoffs in back-to-back years amid major injuries to John Wall, Beal has put up 25.8 points, 5.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game as the de facto face of the franchise from 2017-20.

Still, as trade rumors continue to circle, Beal insists he's remaining focused on the drive that made him an All-Star in 2018 and 2019.

"In my view, I don't view it as a distraction," he continued. "It's kind of a sign of respect. And motivational, too, you know, to just keep doing what you're doing, keep playing hard, keep being the professional that you are, because people like that are gravitating toward you."