Nov 6, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal (0) against the Phoenix Suns at the Mortgage Matchup Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
The Los Angeles Clippers may not have landed LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo, but they are still feeling good about how they stack up to the rest of the Western Conference. Still, it couldn’t hurt to add some more firepower, and that’s what led to their latest free-agent signing: veteran guard Bradley Beal.
Beal, 33, recently declined his $5.6 million player option to become a free agent. While interest was limited in the former Wizards star, he’s now set to return to the Clippers for $13.2 million, where he will join a young rotation that includes Darius Garland, Rui Hachimura, and Bennedict Mathurin.
“Free agent Bradley Beal has agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, with a player option in the second season,” reported Shams Charania on X.
Beal has struggled in recent years, mostly due to injuries that have slowly derailed his career. Last season, his first with the Clippers, he only played six games for the team, averaging just 8.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 0.5 steals per game on 37.5% shooting from the field. Even so, with nothing to lose, the Clippers felt it was only right to bring Beal back and offer him another chance to revitalize his career.
After all, Beal spent a lot of time in the city as part of his rehab and recovery last season. To leave now would be to pack up and move all over again, something he clearly had no desire to do for the second straight summer.
“Beal explored options in free agency upon declining his $5.6M player option, giving the Clippers more salary space to pursue deals as well, before the sides landed on his return in LA after the three-time NBA All-Star rehabbed from hip surgery that cost him most of last season,” Shams added.
In his glory days, Bradley Beal had a strong case for being one of the NBA’s best scoring guards. He led the Wizards for years with his shooting and shot-making, posting averages of 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game in the 2020-21 campaign. Ever since leaving D.C., however, Beal has struggled to fit in, jumping from the Suns to the Clippers in multiple failed campaigns.
This summer, it was unclear if Beal would even get another opportunity, but the Clippers weren’t the only team to express interest. The Miami Heat were known to be pursuing Beal, and they might have made a compelling case. Nevertheless, Miami will have to look elsewhere for some perimeter shooting around Giannis. In Los Angeles, meanwhile, his presence will be crucial to stretching the floor and ensuring the Clippers have enough scoring in the backcourt.
As currently constructed, the Clippers may not be title contenders, but they have plenty of talent that could surprise a lot of people next season. At the very least, they have a foundation with which they could build and develop an identity. For Beal, being on a team with no expectations means he can find his rhythm on his own terms, without the guilt of costing his team wins.