The cleaning of house by the Phoenix Suns continued on Wednesday.
Phoenix kicked off an eventful offseason by trading star power forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets on July 6 as part of a seven-team trade, the biggest in NBA history.
In exchange, the Suns received Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, Daeqwon Plowden, the No. 10 overall pick in 2025 (Khaman Maluach), the No. 31 overall pick in 2025 (Rasheer Fleming), the No. 41 overall pick in 2025 (Koby Brea), plus second-round picks in 2026 and 2032.
The Suns also traded Norman Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team trade and let Tyus Jones walk in free agency (he's since joined the Orlando Magic).
And just 10 days after trading Durant, the Suns made another bold move in buying out three-time All-Star shooting guard Bradley Beal.
The 32-year-old former No. 3 overall pick plans to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers with a player option for 2026-27, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Beal has $110 million left on the final two years of his contract, but he will give $13.9 million of it back to the Suns to finalize the buyout. Phoenix is expected to stretch the remaining $96.1 million over five years.
"The player option for 2026-27 clears the way for Beal, 32, to be one of the top available players in free agency next summer," Charania wrote. "For the Clippers, Beal is a natural fit alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden as a scorer, playmaker and co-star."
Charania also reported that representatives from the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Minnesota Timberwolves reached out to Beal's agent Mark Bartelstein to express interest in Beal, but he ultimately felt like the Clippers were the best fit.
"After a two-year run in Phoenix did not work out, the crux of the decision for Beal and his representation was finding the best basketball fit, first and foremost," Charania wrote. "Beal was granted permission by the Suns to speak to interested teams around the league, sources said.
"Bartelstein led an exhaustive process over the last several weeks, meeting with teams involved, that allowed Beal to make the decision to part with the Suns and control where he wanted to go."
After seven straight seasons of averaging 20 or more points per game, Beal's production dipped in Phoenix.
In his two years in the desert, Beal averaged 17.6 points, 4.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game across 106 contests.
In his previous 11 years with the Washington Wizards, Beal averaged 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game while making three All-Star teams and being named a first-team NBA All-Rookie selection.
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