At the trade deadline last month, when the Suns needed to find a new home for Bradley Beal to complete a Jimmy Butler trade, there was no deal to be made. Part of that was a limited market for Beal, but a more significant issue was Beal having a no-trade clause that he would have to waive for any deal to get done.
If the Suns are going to attain their goal of reshaping the roster around Devin Booker and getting under the second apron of the luxury tax, Phoenix is going to have to revisit Beal trades this offseason (not just trade Kevin Durant). Beal is far more open to an offseason move, he told Tim MacMahon of ESPN. The one caveat is that he wants to go somewhere with a chance to win.
“It is a different deal in the summer,” Beal said. “Everything is kind of more laid out on the table. You got more options…
And my biggest thing is when I came here, I want to win. I’ve scored 30 points a game. I’ve been an All-Star. I’ve been All-NBA. I want to win. That’s always been my label — I haven’t won anything. So whatever that looks like for the team, whether that’s me coming up the bench, whether it’s me starting, whether it’s me, whatever it is, I’m going to do it… I enjoy the game, man. This game is fun. I try not to let nobody take the joy out of it for me… I’m still playing in the NBA, I still have the best job in the world, and I still have my no-trade clause. So I’m smiling every day.”
It’s unclear how big a trade market there might be for Beal this summer, and it’s likely the Suns would need to attach a draft pick to him in any deal to get a team to take on the $110.8 million he is owed over the next two seasons. Beal still has value in the league, he’s averaging 17.7 points a game this season and is shooting 39.3% from 3. He can still get buckets. But his role on any team now will not be as a primary offensive creator, at least with the first unit. His price tag outweighs his contributions at this point, limiting the market for his services.
Beal is not eager to uproot his family and move, it will have to be to a situation where he feels comfortable and the team has a shot at winning. That said, there’s a better chance a Beal trade happens in June around the NBA Draft or during free agency in July than there was at the trade deadline.
Expect a lot of Beal rumors this summer. Whether any of them pan out is another question.
