The Los Angeles Clippers were one of three teams involved in Monday’s three-team trade that sent Norman Powell to the Miami Heat and John Collins to LA. Were the Clippers just trading one of their more valuable chips to land Collins, or did they ship their starting shooting guard out because they anticipate adding his replacement in free agency?
According to [Mike Scotto of Hoops Hype](https://bsky.app/profile/mikeascotto.bsky.social/post/3ltf4e5zxmc2d), the Clippers could be one of the teams eyeing Bradley Beal if the Phoenix Suns manage to agree to a contract buyout with the three-time All-Star.
> “If Bradley Beal agrees to a Suns buyout, the Clippers may have interest but only have $5.3 million of the non-tax MLE to use. Malcolm Brogdon and Chris Paul have also drawn free agency interest from LA.”
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> Mike Scotto on Los Angeles Clippers/Bradley Beal
Beal, 32, would be a good fit for the Clippers, who are now looking for Powell’s replacement. Chances are, they won’t have to pay Beal nearly as much as the $53.6 million salary he would have otherwise received if the Suns don’t buy out his contract. That could make Beal a bargain in LA, depending on how much they’re willing to pay him.
While Beal has averaged just 17.6 points per game across the past two seasons, he still averages 21.5 PPG in his NBA career. If he can somehow find a bigger role in LA alongside James Harden, Beal could find himself in a more favorable situation than he’s experienced over the past two years.
**Related: [Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns competing for reunion with future Hall of Famer](https://sportsnaut.com/nba/los-angeles-clippers-phoenix-suns-competing-reunion-with-chris-paul/)**