How Good Can Bradley Beal Be Next Season And Beyond?

Bradley Beal is a name all Washington Wizards fans love to hear, mainly because his name is associated with success and an overall turnaround of the team. Although the Wizards failed to make the playoffs in his first season, in every season since, the team has turned it around and been able to make the playoffs.

There’s a lot to appreciate about Beal. He’s averaged double digit points in every year that he has been in the NBA, and also shot 40 percent from three-point range for his career.

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It doesn’t slow down a bit in the playoffs. In fact, this year, he really hit his stride once the playoffs came around, and he was a huge reason the team was able to sweep the Toronto Raptors. Beal averaged 23.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists per game.

Beal is often mentioned second to John Wall, the other piece of the Wizards’ impressive backcourt, but I think that has to change soon, given what Beal’s been able to do during both the regular season and the playoffs. He’s proven he’s not just a supporting role player to Wall, he’s shown that he is an integral piece of the backcourt.

While we could look at Beal’s regular season numbers this year and note that they’re down per game compared to last year, let’s remember that this season hasn’t been the easiest for Beal’s body.

During the regular season Beal sustained a wrist injury to begin the year, and then down the road he also injured his toe. While these didn’t hinder him much from making an impact on the floor this year, it’s tough to avoid imagining what could have been if Beal had been at full strength for the whole year.

Even more intriguing than that thought is the thought of what Beal could’ve done in the playoffs at full strength. Despite spraining his ankle, Beal was able to lead the Wizards to a win over the Atlanta Hawks with a career high in playoff points (28) in Game 1. He then broke this personal record in Game 4 despite his body not being at 100 percent.

So, we can obviously cut Beal a little slack for his numbers being slightly down this year, since he didn’t have the best year physically. But how much more can he do? Is it really realistic to expect him to continue to improve, or has he already hit a plateau?

I believe, as such a young player, there’s a ton that Beal can offer to this young Wizards team. In just a few short years he’s already established himself as one of the best shooting guards in the league. Sure, some often put him as the No. 2 option to Wall, but in most eyes, that’s still an honor.

What he has brought to the table so far has been impressive. He only adds to the versatility of the backcourt that Wall brings. He’s able to utilize a quickness in ways a lot of young guards have mastered yet. Beal is able to quickly drive to the basket and make it difficult for even the biggest defenders to guard him.

At the same time, Beal can speed down the court on fast breaks and make blocks, or at least make it difficult for teams to cash in on fast break points.

His three point shooting is great, and comes with great accuracy. His accuracy has improved every single year and he’s averaged a solid 40 percent shooting line from the downtown throughout his entire career.

Are these things that plateau? Is it going to be just this from here on out? I don’t believe Beal, an obvious hard-working player, won’t allow it to be. Beal knows what he is capable of, and most of us see even more potential in Beal than what he’s shown already.

With hard work, a desire to win, and a continued effort to be the best player he can be, Beal hasn’t plateaued just yet.

Now, there are things that are out of Beal’s control, and this includes the injuries. This year was absolutely terrible for Beal as far as injuries are concerned, and showed us all just how fragile he can be.

Maybe this is the next step to greatness, though; figuring out a way to be the elite player he has been, while, at the same time, not risking his health. I’d love to see him have a year where he is unaffected by injuries, and he is able to just go out and be as good as he can be.

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