By Kenny Burgess
On Sunday, Jun. 18, the Phoenix Suns acquired three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal in a trade with the Washington Wizards. In its effort to obtain Beal, Phoenix agreed to send Chris Paul and Landry Shamet as well as at least four other second-round picks and multiple-pick swaps to Washington. The Suns will also take on the remaining four years and $207 million of Beal’s contract.
Beal is now headed to Phoenix to form a new big three with other perennial all-stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Since acquiring Durant at the trade deadline last season, Phoenix has been seen as a serious title contender. Adding Beal to their backcourt makes the Suns even more dangerous and it shows in the betting odds. Prior to the trade, the Suns’ title odds were set at +900 and in the one day since the trade, they have shifted all the way to +650.
Prior to the trade, Beal has spent his 11-year career with Washington since he was drafted in 2012. Over his time in Washington, Beal has averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, and 4.1 rebounds per game. Just last summer, Beal signed a five-year, $251 million supermax contract with the Wizards that included a no-trade clause.
The no-trade clause allowed Beal to choose his next destination. There were many other locations being floated around before Beal ended up in Phoenix — sources had him linked to Miami, Sacramento, and Milwaukee. Beal’s no-trade clause allowed him to choose his destination and he ended up in Phoenix on Sunday after getting serious pitches from Miami and Milwaukee earlier on in the weekend. This shows Beal’s trust in Phoenix as well as Durant and Booker.
Phoenix has become uber-aggressive since mortgage-lending billionaire Mat Ishbia officially took over in February 2023. Since then, Phoenix has traded for Durant, fired coach Monty Williams, hired Frank Vogel, and traded for Beal. For some organizations, moves of this magnitude don’t happen over four years, and Ishbia has authorized them in just over four months.
The Suns have catapulted themselves right into the middle of the title conversation and they now have the fourth-best odds to bring home the Larry O’Brien Trophy next season. It is yet to be seen if building a super team in Phoenix will see the Suns finish on top next season, but we know that it for sure will have them making headlines. If the line movement tells us anything, it’s that Phoenix will be right in the thick of things next season and we will be following all season here at Only Players.
Photo credit: Bradley Beal’s Instagram
