The Heat, Celtics, and Clippers are among the teams believed to have free agent guard Bradley Beal on their radar, NBA insider Jake Fischer said during his latest live stream for Bleacher Report (video link).
Reporting early in free agency indicated that Miami had registered some interest in Beal, though they haven’t been actively pursuing a deal as they wait on LeBron James‘ decision. Discussing the Boston possibility, Fischer noted that Beal is close with Celtics star Jayson Tatum and added that he has been advised not to rule out the C’s as a landing spot for the three-time All-Star.
Beal appeared in just six games for the Clippers in 2025/26 before being sidelined due to a hip injury that required season-ending surgery, then declined a $5.62MM player option to return to the team in June. However, Fischer believes a reunion is still on the table, pointing out that the 33-year-old wanted to be in Los Angeles a year ago.
Wherever Beal ends up, the expectation is that he’ll be joining a team with “playoff aspirations,” Fischer adds.
Here are a few more highlights from Fischer’s latest Bleacher Report live stream:
Fischer hasn’t heard much about Russell Westbrook‘s free agency in recent weeks, but he doesn’t think the former MVP is likely to re-sign with the Kings. “I don’t believe Sacramento wants him back (and) I don’t believe he wants to go back there,” Fischer said (video link).
Jonathan Kuminga and his representatives are hoping that the Cavaliers will emerge as a viable landing spot for the free agent forward if LeBron doesn’t return to Cleveland, Fischer reports (video link). Head coach Kenny Atkinson, having previously worked as an assistant in Golden State, is familiar with Kuminga, and Fischer suggests that the 23-year-old and his reps believe a potential starting role and a salary “north of the mid-level exception” could be in play in Cleveland. However, that sort of salary commitment would be difficult for the Cavs to accommodate without cost-cutting moves, since it would require a sign-and-trade deal that would hard-cap the team’s salary at the first tax apron.
Fischer identifies veteran frontcourt free agents Kelly Olynyk and Georges Niang as possible targets for the Warriors, especially if they’re able to land LeBron. The team is in the market for a stretch four or five after losing Quinten Post to Memphis, and Olynyk and Niang could likely be had for the veteran’s minimum, Fischer explains, stating that both players are “very much in the cards” for Golden State.