With the Suns agreeing to trade Kevin Durant to the Rockets, Phoenix radio talk show host John Gambadoro continues to believe the team will either trade or buy out Bradley Beal, he said on The Kevin O’Connor Show (Twitter video link).
Of course, Beal has a no-trade clause and would have to agree to waive it for a deal to be made. If the Suns are unable to trade or buy out Beal, then they’d have to hope he could rebuild his value on the court. Gambadoro previously noted that head coaching candidates were asked how they would utilize Beal if he’s still on the roster.
Cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link) looks back at the buyouts of Kemba Walker and Blake Griffin in recent seasons as examples of what Beal might be willing to give back, presuming the three-time All-Star could receive a full non-taxpayer mid-level exception deal elsewhere. If Beal were willing to give up 25 percent of his current contract with two years left, the cap hits for the Suns would total $40.25MM and $42.85MM.
Here’s more on the Suns:
- While the Suns now seemingly have two combo guards with similar skills, they are not planning to move Jalen Green, Gambadoro tweets. Instead, the Suns will look to pair him with Devin Booker in the backcourt and see how they’ll mesh. Green has shown durability, appearing in every game over the past two seasons. He averaged 21.0 points and 3.4 assists this season.
- While Durant negotiations were primarily focused on the Heat, Rockets and Timberwolves, several wild-card suitors emerged, including the Raptors, Cavaliers, Nuggets and Clippers, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Cavs, in particular, were a long shot since they would have needed to send out enough salary to get under the second apron for 2025/26. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have been allowed to aggregate salaries. Since the Suns are also a second-apron team, a deal between Phoenix and Cleveland would have required the involvement of at least one more club.
- Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier worked out for the Suns on Friday, Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic tweets. Lanier set the Volunteers’ single season record for made three-pointers with 123 this past season. He’s ranked No. 38 overall on ESPN’s Best Available list. The Suns own the 29th and 52nd picks in addition to the 10th and 59th selections they’re acquiring from Houston.
- Earlier in the weekend, Durant brushed off a comment by former NBA center DeMarcus Cousins, who claimed on Fan Duel’s Run It Back show that there were “fistfights” in the Suns locker room. As Rankin relays, Durant responded on social media that Cousins’ source for that claim was “lying” and that there were “NEVER” any locker room fights.
Super scary. Houston might make it to the second round now.
Probably not tho
If Beal gets bought out, I kinda want the Nets to pick him up, even though we’ll probably resign Cam Thomas. Beal at the one, Cam at the two, we ain’t getting any defense, but it could be an exciting bunch of shooting. That’s all we can really hope for this season.
If Beal gets bought out, no team will use him in a starter role ever again. Nets may still get him as a 6th man type, I don’t disagree there.
If there’s a buyout, I’d love to see Tatum recruit his boy to Boston to help the bench.
Beal can’t run the point. Not effective. He can play defacto point bc he’s just got the all in his hands, but he’s not a point guard in the sense of getting others involved without turning the ball over too much.
Sign Tyus Jones if you want an actual Pg.
Beal at the one is a recipe for disaster
not a team building plan
and just like that, Haliburton will miss the entire 2025-26 season. Insane.
Beal is not giving any money back. He made it clear a long time ago that he doesn’t care about winning.
And the Nuggets should have gave up Porter Jr. and a couple of draft picks.
“When I work a job I often times tell my billionaire employer that I’ll take a salary cut if he can make more money for himself.”
Players shouldn’t take the cut, ownership should.
Why wouldn’t they just stretch him vs buyout?
I was wondering the other day if they still had the stretch because I cannot remember the last time I heard about it being used.
Why should he have to give any money back
Why the hell would Beal give up 25% near the end of his career. Not going to happen.
Beal is really over hated, yes his contract is terrible but his production has been fine.
He’s only 31, and last year almost shot 50% from the field, almost 39% from 3, and 80% from the line. He almost had a career low in shot attempts and still averaged 17 a game and had less than 2 turnovers a game.
For reference Desmond Bane shot 48-39-89 and averaged 19 a game with 2.5 turnovers a game and also had 2 shot attempts more per game.
He just cost the Magic 4 first round picks.
Another one Austin Reaves, he shot a 46-38-88, averaged 20 a game with roughly the same turnover count and 1 more shot attempt per game.
He was clearly a bad fit in Phoenix because his style is so similar to Booker and they didn’t have a point guard. But you watch him thrive in the right situation. He’d be an upgrade from Ivey next to Cade on the pistons. He could be a good Bane replacement for the Grizzlies. He could even start over Vassell on the Spurs.
Interesting. Detroit could be a good fit for Beal, but only if he was healthy and available. I don’t know that they’d be willing to gamble on him with how much time he misses.
He’s played over 50 games the last three seasons
Not wrong at all. Beal can still contribute to a contending team in a 6/7th man role. If he was 25 and healthy that is a $20m/year player. but in his current state and under this CBA if he wants to join a contender he should only surrender the vets min in a buyout. But that doesn’t really help the Suns, they are stuck together unless Ishiba just really hates Beal.
Again completely disagree
His efficiency is the best it’s ever been and he’s a former 3 time all star and all nba player.
From my comparisons to Bane and Reaves he’s easily a 35mil a season player. The if he was 25 he’s be a 20mil a season player is just stupid.
The thing which makes everyone hate him is he’s drastically overpaid and he hasn’t had much team success.
I’d love to see him brought out and then he can decide where he wants to be and hopefully end up in a position to do well and find some success
Beal = no defense at all. You are massively overvaluing his worst in the league defense here.
Basketball is played two ways, and Beal can’t do one of them.
Such a nothing comment Beals defence is on par with the likes of Curry, Herro, Garland, Fox, Spida, Maxey, Dame and so on and so on
80% of the guards in this league play the same amount of defence which isn’t much
Better than OneWay Wonder Luka ……
True. In those games when the coach had him start from the bench, he pretty much always looked like by far the best player on the court compared to his and opponent’s bench unit.
There was a number of teams that were tentatively looking to get him, and Phoenix were listening. But he himself didn’t want to leave. Does he want to try to go somewhere and have an impact, or just stay put and live a settled life with wife and kids?
I like the fit in Detroit.
“but his production has been fine.”
/lists only offense, no defense mentioned at all
Brother, his “production” on 1 side of the court has been the worst in the league.
suns trying to trade beal: “no offers found for selected player(s)”
MIL: Beal
BRK: Lillard, Ryan Dunn
PHX: Cam Johnson
MIL gets some production out of a max salary slot to show Giannis some love
PHX balances the roster and gets all the way out of the tax
BRK gets a solid young player in Dunn and “improves” their tanking by losing one of their best players, Then, if Lillard comes back strong they can flip him at the 27 deadline.
The question is who sends picks to whom, and how many?
There aren’t enough FRPs in the quivers of PHX and MIL combined to convince BKN to forefeit their best asset (their cap space) for Lillard’s 50+ mm of dead money. Giving up Johnson is at least another FRP+, though they’ve been insisting on 2.
Beal has two years on his contract. He can’t get move till it’s expiring. Thats two yrs away almost. Feb TD 2027 …….
Only Mavs and Bucks could take him. For players already lost for the year. Probably want a pick to do it.
Phoenix, Philadelphia, and the LA Clippers are the most money-wasting teams in the NBA over the last 20 years. Philadelphia traded with Boston the first pick to select Markelle Fultz over Jayson Tatum, the LA Clippers traded SGA and a bunch of picks for one of the most overrated players in the NBA, Paul George, and Phoenix got one of the worst contracts in the NBA, Bradley Beal. Among all three, I think Philadelphia is the worst decision-maker in the history of the NBA. How many championships would it have with Embiid and Tatum together?
If in fact Beal is willing to give back the MLE amount, then the buyout of Beal is probably their best option (as long as they have the discipline not to stretch the salary). I believe it would allow them to get under the 2nd apron, even after making both their FRPs and perhaps use of the TxMLE.