The Washington Wizards drafted Bradley Beal on his birthday in 2012, a serendipitous fact that long-standing members of the organization mention to this day.
The Wizards and their franchise player retain a bond that has stuck through early injury issues in his career, the unfortunate derailing of star teammate John Wall due to injury and the failed Russell Westbrook experiment, among other misadventures.
華盛頓奇才隊在布拉德利·比爾2012年生日那天選中了他，這位目前待在奇才隊中最久的成員至今仍會談起這個偶然事實。
這讓奇才隊和他們的當家球星之間保留了一種緣分，即使他們經曆了早期的傷病問題，明星隊友約翰·沃爾因傷病不幸離隊，以及威少實驗失敗等不幸。
Washington is relying on that bond as it evaluates its options for the Feb. 10 trade deadline before what likely will be Beal's first foray into unrestricted free agency.
Beal has made it clear he doesn't plan to sign an extension and likely will skip his player option. That would make some teams nervous, but to this point there has been no real discussion of Beal on the trade market, league executives said.
The Wizards are preparing to roll the dice with the belief that Beal will re-sign.
Washington isn't the only franchise measuring risk before Feb. 10. League executives and agents are approaching this trade season as a referendum on risk tolerance. A number of teams are sitting on the fence, with major decisions surrounding star players looming less than a month before the deadline.
華盛頓在2月10日交易截止日期前，必須要考慮的一個問題是，該截止日期可能是比爾首次成為不受限制的自由球員。
比爾已經明确表示，他不打算續約，可能會跳過他的球員選項。聯盟高管表示，這将讓一些球隊感到緊張，但到目前為止，比爾還沒有在球員市場上進行真正的讨論。
奇才隊打算賭，賭比爾會和他們續約。
華盛頓并不是2月之前唯一一支存在風險的球隊。聯盟高管和經紀人将在這個交易季為自己的球隊和球員找到更好的出入。圍繞明星球員的重大決定的截止日期不到一個月。
Washington Wizards
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis, general manager Tommy Sheppard and Beal have a trust level and stay in communication. Beal was part of the decision to trade Westbrook last summer and was a lead recruiter in bringing in free agent Spencer Dinwiddie, team sources said. Beal and his family have forged a close relationship with new teammate Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Washington has another significant advantage.
A primary reason Beal isn't extending now is because with such a contract he could fashion a four-year deal worth $181 million. If he opts out and signs a totally new agreement, the Wizards can offer five years and $241 million. If he were to leave to go to another team this summer, his max deal would be four years and $179 million.
In short: If Beal is prioritizing guaranteed money, he has a $60 million incentive to stay.
華盛頓奇才隊
奇才隊老闆泰德·萊昂西斯、總經理湯米·謝帕德很信任比爾，并保持溝通。球隊内部人士稱，比爾是去年夏天交易威少決定的一部分，也是引進自由球員丁威迪的主要招聘人員。比爾和他的家人與新隊友波普建立了密切的關系。
華盛頓還有另一個重大優勢。
比爾如果現在續約的話，他可以達成價值1.81億的四年合同。如果他選擇跳出合同，奇才隊可以提供五年2.41億。如果他今年夏天離開去另一支球隊，他的最高交易将是四年1.79億美元。
簡而言之：如果比爾優先考慮續約，他可以多拿6000萬。
That reality and the team's apparent willingness to eventually present a full five-year offer has led to a measure of calm within the organization about Beal's intentions. However, that does not mean there isn't risk to manage.
The Wizards started 13-7 but are just 10-14 since. They've improved since last season when they ended up with the No. 8 seed, but their positioning has slipped in a tougher Eastern Conference. They're a team that might be able to use a boost at the deadline -- and Beal could be watching.
"I've contributed to being here. I've committed to being here twice," Beal said in a recent interview with Yahoo Sports. "Now, I want to see that commitment to me, as well, that we can create a winning team here, a winning environment here."
這一現實以及球隊願意提供為期五年的完整報價，使球隊内部對比爾的最終決定保持一定程度的信心。然而，這并不意味着沒有風險。
奇才隊以13-7的戰績開局，但從那之後的24場隻赢了10場。自上個賽季最終獲得第8名以來，他們有所改善，但在更艱難的東部中，他們的排名有所下降。他們是一個可能在截止日期前尋找交易來進行補強的球隊——比爾可能也在觀望。
“我在這裡做出了貢獻。比爾最近在接受雅虎體育采訪時說：“我已經承諾在這裡續約兩次。”現在，我也想看到球隊對我的承諾，我們可以在這裡建立一個赢球的團隊，在這裡建立一個赢球的環境。
Center Thomas Bryant has just returned after a yearlong recovery from a torn ACL to provide depth at center. As a result, rival executives believe the Wizards might entertain trading Montrezl Harrell as they look for help elsewhere.
The Wizards owe a protected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder, which limits their trading options, but they could modify it and have two first-round picks to trade. But without Beal under contract, that is a risk.
The Wizards are only $1.7 million under the luxury tax, meaning a trade that takes on money would cause some pause. But remaining inactive at the deadline to avoid the tax might send another message to Beal.
中鋒托馬斯·布萊恩特因前交叉韌帶撕裂休養一年，如今剛剛回來，以提供内線深度。是以，其他球隊管理層認為，奇才隊可能會尋求關于蒙特雷茲爾·哈雷爾的交易。
奇才隊将受保護的第一輪選秀權送給了俄克拉荷馬城雷霆隊，這拉低了他們的交易容錯率，但他們可以用後年第一輪選秀權進行交易。但如果比爾沒有續約，那就是一種風險。
奇才隊距離奢侈稅隻有170萬美元，這意味着他們在薪金上需要去做一些平衡。但在截止日期前不做為以避免納稅可能會向比爾提供一個不利于自己的資訊。
Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers have been looking at the same hand for months, as president Daryl Morey hasn't seen a trade he liked for the disgruntled Ben Simmons. They are a good team and have been playing better of late, but they are not the great team they were last season when they earned the No. 1 seed in the East with Simmons playing.
Joel Embiid is having another spectacular season, and over the weekend he pointed out the Sixers were 21-9 (now 22-10) with him in the lineup. They are 9-2 since Christmas. For now, Embiid is sending the message that he isn't itching for a Simmons trade to bring him help for the playoffs.
費城76人隊
幾個月來，76人隊一直沒有交易掉西蒙斯，因為莫狗沒有看到他喜歡的關于心懷不滿的本·西蒙斯的交易。他們是一支好球隊，最近打得更好，但他們不是上個賽季有西蒙斯并赢得東部第一的偉大球隊。
恩比德正在經曆另一個壯觀的賽季，他上場的比賽76人打出了以21-9（現在22-10）的戰績。他們在聖誕節後的11場赢了9場。目前，恩比德正在傳達一個資訊，即他不渴望西蒙斯的交易為他帶來季後賽的幫助。
"There's really no urgency to change anything. I think we got everything we need," Embiid said last week. "We're gonna keep on going, and I'm happy."
Here is the risky decision facing Philly: either wait out the Simmons market and don't import potential help for Embiid, or make a trade that doesn't bring back an All-Star but still takes advantage of what so far has been a healthy and productive Embiid season.
Embiid's mood on the matter and the support of owner Joshua Harris -- who has made sudden pivots away from patience in the past and is paying the luxury tax this season for a team he thought would be a title contender -- are variables to monitor in the coming weeks.
“真的不用着急改變任何事情。我認為我們得到了我們需要的一切，”恩比德上周說。我們會繼續前進，我很高興。
費城面臨的風險決定是：要麼等待更好的籌碼再交易西蒙斯，不為恩比德增加潛在幫助，要麼交易非全明星球員，但仍然利用迄今為止健康且高效的恩比德。
恩比德在這個問題上的看法得到了老闆Joshua Harris的支援——他過去失去了耐心，本賽季願意為了奪冠去交奢侈稅。
Utah Jazz
The Jazz have the No. 1 offense in the league by a relative mile, and before star defender Rudy Gobert went into the health and safety protocols earlier this month, they had the No. 5 defense. They have all the hallmarks of a championship contender, especially in superstar wing Donovan Mitchell.
But the past few weeks have seen some angst within the team. The defense collapsed with Gobert out, ranking 29th in the span, and a series of passive-aggressive actions in interviews and social media have followed.
Gobert and Mitchell have a history of tension that seems to have been inflamed, especially after Gobert praised the defensive intensity of Mitchell rival Devin Booker. It got to the point at which Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson issued a statement/plea for everyone to stop talking about one another and start playing defense.
爵士隊這賽季進攻效率排名第一，在本月早些時候，魯迪·戈貝爾進入健康和安全協定之前，他們防守排名第五。他們擁有冠軍競争者的所有特征，特别是擁有明星後衛多諾萬·米切爾。
但在過去幾周裡，球隊内部出現了一些焦慮。防守崩潰了，戈貝爾離開的幾場比賽，爵士的防守排名第29位，随後在網絡上受到球迷的質疑。
戈貝爾和米切爾的關系似乎也變得緊張，特别是在戈貝爾贊揚米切爾的競争對手德文布克的防守強度之後。爵士後衛喬丹·克拉克森發表了一份聲明，懇求大家停止談論對方，開始防守。
The Jazz have subsequently been poking around the market for wing defenders, sources said, as new CEO Danny Ainge might have a big decision to make. The Jazz are good enough on paper to win the West, but the demands on Gobert in the playoffs are immense, which contributed to a deeply disappointing loss to the LA Clippers in the postseason last year despite Clippers star Kawhi Leonard suffering a partially torn ACL.
The risk for Utah: trade away some of the offensive talent to help Gobert and turn down the heat between him and Mitchell, or ride out the quality team it built and hope the defense is good enough under pressure.
"They're seeing if they can find their own Aaron Gordon trade," a rival general manager said, referring to the move the Denver Nuggets made to pick up the versatile defender from the Orlando Magic before last season's trade deadline. "I'm not sure if they'll find it."
消息人士稱，爵士隊一直在尋找防守好的前鋒，因為新任球隊經理丹尼·安吉可能會做出重大決定。雖然爵士隊在紙面實力上可以赢任何西部球隊，但在季後賽中對戈伯特的要求是巨大的。去年盡管快船隊失去了倫納德，但爵士還是輸給了洛杉矶快船隊，令人深感失望。
猶他州的風險：增加一些進攻天賦來幫助戈貝爾，為米切爾分擔得分壓力，或者建立一個防守更好的優質團隊。
一位其他球隊的總經理說，他們正在嘗試得到掘金隊的阿隆戈登。我不确定他們是否能得到他。
The player who most closely resembles that who might be available is Detroit Pistons forward Jerami Grant, but the Jazz might not be able to win a bidding contest if it comes to that. The Jazz have limited draft picks to offer in a deal -- they already owe two future first-rounders and four second-rounders elsewhere over the next five years -- and they lack attractive young talent.
Joe Ingles, who has played all eight of his NBA seasons for the Jazz, is well aware of this front-office conundrum and is mentally preparing for the unknown of deadline season. He's in the final year of his contract, was in trade talks last offseason and has seen his numbers drop this year.
"If they decide they need to do something I would be happy for them if they thought they were getting better. I do love this organization and the city. We're all here for the same reason -- we're here to try to win a championship and be the first [Jazz] team to do it," Ingles said on his weekly radio appearance in Salt Lake City this month. "If I could be a piece that helps them do that, then I'd still feel pretty good about it. I'd be disappointed that I wasn't here for it, but I'd be happy for a lot of people."
Bojan Bogdanovic is two years younger than Ingles, is having another excellent season and has one year left on his deal. This makes him more attractive in a trade.
With the roster aging -- Ingles is 34, Bogdanovic is soon to be 33 and guard Mike Conley is 34 -- and the simmering Gobert-Mitchell dynamic, it might not be time to wait and see in Utah.
他們最想得到的是底特律活塞隊前鋒傑拉米·格蘭特，但爵士隊可能無法和其他球隊去競争他。爵士隊在一筆交易中能提供的選秀權有限——在未來五年的選秀權中，他們已經送出了兩個首輪和四個次輪——而且他們缺乏有吸引力的年輕人。
英格爾斯為爵士隊效力了所有八個賽季，他非常清楚目前球隊的困難，并做好了在交易截止日期被交易的準備。他已進入合同的最後一年，上個休賽期沒有和球隊提前續約，今年他的資料有所下降。
“如果他們決定需要做點什麼，如果他們認為自己正在好轉，我會為他們高興的。我确實喜歡這個球隊和這個城市。英格爾斯本月在鹽湖城的每周電台采訪時說：“我們都在這裡的原因相同——我們在這裡是為了赢得冠軍，并為爵士赢得第一座總冠軍。”“如果我能成為幫助他們做到這一點的人，那麼我仍然會對此感到高興。但我會為我不是幫助球隊奪得冠軍中的一員而感到失望，但我會為他們感到高興的。”
博格達諾維奇比英格爾斯小兩歲，又有一個出色的賽季，他的合同明年到期。這讓他在球隊中更具吸引力。
随着球隊的老化——英格爾斯34歲，博格達諾維奇即将33歲，邁克·康利34歲——以及戈伯特和米切爾之間的微妙關系，可能爵士需要作出一些改變了。