Bradley Beal is the latest All-Star on his way out of Phoenix.
The former Suns guard reportedly agreed to a contract buyout and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers after clearing waivers, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Wednesday.
Several teams reportedly had interest in Beal outside of the Clippers, including the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers, among others. In the end, he settled on a reported two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers that has a player option in the second season.
Beal had two years and $110.8 million remaining on his contract with the Suns, which he originally signed with the Washington Wizards. That deal also included a no-trade clause, making it extra difficult for the Suns to offload.
A breakup with the Suns became inevitable for Beal after a disappointing second season in Phoenix. Pairing Beal with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant (who was traded to the Houston Rockets last month), the Suns had high expectations entering 2023, when they traded away Chris Paul for Beal. That season ended by being swept in the first-round, and last season was even worse, missing the Play-In Tournament all together.
Beal, 32, has taken a step back in recent years after making three All-Star teams in Washington. The St. Louis native averaged 17 points per game (his fewest since 2014-15) and came off the bench for 15 games (his most since 2015-16). The fit ultimately just did not work out in Phoenix.
Now, Beal joins a Clippers team that will have lower expectations for the veteran guard. Ty Lue’s squad won 50 games last season behind Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. But with the team trading away Norman Powell, there’s an obvious need for more scoring. The Clippers added John Collins and Brook Lopez to bolster the front line, and now Beal should improve the backcourt.
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