Bradley Beal, as expected, got his contract buyout from the Suns. Next up, he plans to sign with the Clippers on a two-year deal, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. Beal’s time in Phoenix ends after just two seasons as he now has a chance to help out the Clippers going forward.
Beal had two years and $110 million on his contract left with the Suns. He had to give back roughly $14 million of the remaining money as Phoenix will likely stretch his contract out over the next five seasons. The Suns went with a similar route as the Bucks, who waived and stretched Damian Lillard along with his two-year, $103 million contract.
Beal, 32, was acquired by the Suns in the summer of 2023 from the Wizards despite the guard’s no-trade clause. He was expected to pair alongside Devin Booker and Kevin Durant as the Suns were going all-in on their roster. But things didn’t work out in Phoenix as the Suns also traded Durant to the Rockets this summer.
The Suns reportedly wanted to also trade Beal’s contract, but that was made difficult for multiple reasons. Considering the amount of money due to Beal, only so many teams were going to be interested. More importantly, Beal still had his no-trade clause that allowed him to choose his next stop or if he was going to be traded at all.
So, instead, Beal got a buyout. The Suns get som flexibility by being out of Beal’s contract, but they’ll now have dead money for the next five seasons instead. It’s a tough spot to be in for Phoenix, which still has Devin Booker but has altered its roster significantly this season.
Beal averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 53 games (38 starts) this past season for the Suns. While he’s not the top scorer like he was with the Wizards, he should give the Clippers depth at the guard position. Considering his new salary, he won’t be relied upon like he was with the Suns when he was being paid top dollar.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.