NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal to join Jayson Tatum on Team USA in Tokyo Olympics

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/nba-rumors-bradley-beal-join-200826784.html



NBA Rumors: Bradley Beal to join Jayson Tatum on Team USA in Tokyo Olympics


Darren Hartwell
Fri, June 18, 2021, 1:08 PM




St. Louis will be well-represented at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal has committed to play for Team USA in the Tokyo Olympics next month, The Athletic's Shams Charania and Joe Vardon reported Friday.

Other early commits for Team USA include Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard, Golden State Warriors big man Draymond Green and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum, who is longtime friends with Beal.


Beal and Tatum both hail from St. Louis, and Beal even babysat Tatum from a young age, as Beal's mother coached Tatum's mother in high school volleyball when Tatum was a baby.

The two have remained close ever since, and the All-Stars' bond has sparked speculation they'll become NBA teammates one day.

Tatum just signed a contract extension that will keep him in Boston through 2025, while Beal recently inked a two-year deal with an average salary of $35.9 million per year that includes a player option for 2023. So, unless Brad Stevens can engineer a blockbuster trade with Washington, Tatum and Beal probably aren't reuniting in the fall.

But Tatum likely will be thrilled about being Beal's USA teammate this summer, and the two will be spending plenty of time together over the next two months if they want to discuss their NBA futures.

Team USA is set to kick off its Olympic slate on July 25 with a preliminary round matchup against France.


Bob
MY NOTE: For those who are interested, Beal has one more year on his contract for $34.5M and then there's a player option year for $37.3M. There is a 15% trade kicker. In 2023 he is an UFA but, of course, he could just decline to exercise his player option and become a free agent next season.



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