After rumors of Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns possibly coming to a buyout agreement soon, it became official on July 15, and soon after, it was reported that he would sign with the Los Angeles Clippers once clearing waivers. The Clippers haven't made many moves in the offseason, but the ones they have made were big enough to show them as a true contender in the loaded Western Conference.
After trading Norman Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team trade, it was evident that they were going to need more scoring in the backcourt next to James Harden. Powell had one of his best seasons last year, and he was one of the reasons the Clippers were able to stay afloat while Kawhi Leonard was sidelined.
With Beal, the Clippers will most likely get that same production, and there's a chance they'll get more from him than they got from Powell. Despite the underwhelming year the Suns had last season, Beal still averaged 17 points per game while shooting 50% from the field. His role changed throughout the year as well, as he was a part of the starting lineup to begin and afterwards came off the bench.
It's safe to say that Beal will fill in the starting role in the backcourt, and that should be a good pairing alongside Harden.
Clippers look more dangerous with the addition of Bradley Beal
The best thing about this move for the Clippers is that they only had to sign Beal on a two-year, $11 million contract. That allows them cap space flexibility, especially for next season, if they want to go for another star. That's good value for a player like Beal, who has been a legit scorer in this league. He should definitely be able to take the pressure off of Harden and Leonard, and head coach Ty Lue will put him in positions to be his best.
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In just two weeks, the Clippers have improved their team, and their starting fives could be considered one of the best in the league with Harden, Beal, Leonard, John Collins, and Ivica Zubac.
The one thing that many will be looking at is if they can stay healthy, and of course, eyes are always on Leonard. Beal has also had injury issues over the past few seasons, and the hope is that he can stay healthy as well.
When healthy, this team could be among the best in the Western Conference. In this case, Beal's addition to the Clippers deserves a good grade.
Overall grade: A-