Washington Wizards guard Bradley Beal has been cleared to begin rehab work on his injured left wrist. Beal's cast and pins in his wrist were removed on Wednesday, approximately two-and-a-half months after his February surgery.

Beal was injured on January 29 in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He suffered a torn scapholunate ligament, and Beal and the Wizards decided at that point that he should be shut down and have surgery.

Beal has a $36.4 million player option for 2022-23 that he's expected to turn down. The Wizards have expressed optimism that Beal will re-sign with the only team he's played for in his 10-year career. In the past, Beal has said he wants to re-sign in Washington, but recently said both sides know what's at stake this summer with building the team for the future.

During the 2021 offseason, LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Jared Dudley checked on the potential desire of Bradley Beal to request a trade from the Washington Wizards to the Los Angeles Lakers.

James, Davis and Dudley also met with Damian Lillard, DeMar DeRozan and Russell Westbrook.

The Lakers eventually traded for Westbrook, who was the potential difference maker that would be the easiest to acquire. 

Beal will be a free agent this offseason and is widely expected to re-sign with the Wizards. It is also doubtful that the Lakers would have been able to put together an attractive enough package to entice the Wizards to trade him there compared to what rival teams like the Philadelphia 76ers and Golden State Warriors had available to them last offseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers considered three main major moves last offseason:

1. Trading for Buddy Hield
2. Completing a sign-and-trade for DeMar DeRozan
3. Trading for Russell Westbrook

While the Lakers would have had to wait until the start of free agency to officially work on a sign-and-trade for DeRozan, which would have also hard capped them, there was more to the trade for Westbrook than just timing.

Sources tell ESPN's Ramona Shelburne that the "enthusiasm" for Westbrook from LeBron James and Anthony Davis were what moved the process in that direction.

James has had significant influence over the decisions made by the Lakers since he joined the franchise in 2018.