Bradley Beal’s days with the Phoenix Suns have come to an unexpected and contentious conclusion — at least on the surface. This move represents a significant pivot on his personal career arc. Beal was the victim of a lost season with not much playing time to speak of. Now, he’s signed a full guarantee two-year, $11 million deal with the LA Clippers, providing him a new start as a demi-veteran guard. This shift comes in the wake of a brutal stretch under former head coach Mike Budenholzer. His largely unilateral choices shaped Beal’s fit and usage on the team and his future.
Last year, Beal averaged a dazzling 17 ppg. He displayed his exceptional shooting ability, knocking down almost half of his attempts from the field and nearly 40% from three. Despite these respectable statistics, Beal’s usage rate fell to the lowest of his career, largely due to Budenholzer’s coaching style. Notably, Beal was removed from the starting lineup for a six-week stretch, which contributed to a perception that he was underperforming relative to his $50 million salary.
The Suns are performing an extreme roster teardown-the-night-above after a thoroughly disappointing season. To create room for Beal, they chose to take advantage of the waive-and-stretch provision. This now gives them room to backload the other $99 million they still owe him over the next five years. Beal’s contract will come into play tremendously with the Suns’ salary going forward. It will be $20 million per season, all the way through the end of that decade.
Beal’s time in Phoenix has definitely impacted his market value league-wide. He interviewed with multiple teams to gauge where he would best fit. He was just looking for an opportunity where he could reestablish himself and somewhat restore his value. It wasn’t just the Clippers’ front office’s desire to get Beal that led to this, as James Harden apparently pushed heavily for the Clippers to trade for Beal. He even reached out to Beal himself to plead his case.
Mark Bartelstein, Beal’s agent, addressed the difficult position. He couldn’t have been clearer that change is sorely needed.
“We couldn’t take the chance [of another lost year]” – Mark Bartelstein
Bartelstein admitted the human side of getting cut from a team that goes beyond the X’s and O’s.
“No one wants to be released. There’s heartache with that” – Mark Bartelstein
Even with the financial loss from his new deal versus his old guarantees, Beal is still feeling pretty good going forward. He’s looking for a healthy, all-around successful year with the Clippers. This would bring his value back and set him up for ever more profitable opportunities down the road.
Beal was very adamant that joining the Clippers represented a new beginning for him. He joins a franchise-savvy organization intensely focused on making its mark in the cutthroat world of the NBA. The Clippers would be thrilled to acquire Beal and add him to their own playoff hopeful roster with designs on a championship.
As Clippers exec Brian Gregory explained, they were definitely wrong on how exciting this kind of approach would be.
“We brought in one of the rising stars in the NBA in Jalen” – Brian Gregory
Whatever the case, Beal is beginning a fresh new chapter in his career. He has a player option for next season, making him as dangerous as any player to re-enter free agency at age 33 should he choose to do so. This deal gives him the room to play his long-term career path smart, possibly making up the financial hit taken by departing Phoenix.
The trip from Phoenix to Los Angeles becomes a major point of departure for Beal. His tenure with the Suns was a massive disappointment, both on the court and in the locker room. This experience serves as a stark reminder of how rapidly fortunes can turn at the professional athletic level. He’s preparing to take advantage of this new opportunity. Definitely, as will all of us around Beal to see if he gets back to where he was as one of the league’s elite guards.
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