After what felt like a half-decade of trade rumors and talks about his future, Bradley Beal finally found a new home over the weekend. In a trade that sent Chris Paul back to the Washington Wizards, the Phoenix Suns were able to add the volume scorer in exchange for a commodity they wanted to move on from.
Other Teams Made Serious Inquiries About Bradley Beal
BREAKING: The Washington Wizards are finalizing a trade to send All-Star G Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. Beal’s waiving his no-trade to form a new Big 3 with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Teams are still working thru framework, but Beal is headed to Suns. pic.twitter.com/0lQrSh370q
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2023
Beal spent the first 11 years of his career with the Wizards. He is a three-time All-Star who has averaged 22+ points in each of the last 7 seasons, and was the second-leading scorer in the league in 2020-21. He has long been searching for a fresh start, and he’ll be granted that opportunity by playing for a team that should contend for a title for the next few years.
The Suns have added firepower and a new Big 3, combining the talents of Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant to form the league’s latest super team. They’ll be playing under new head coach Frank Vogel, who will look to do one better than his predecessor when it comes to playoff performances.
Phoenix wasn’t the only team in the market for Bradley Beal. In the days leading up to the trade, it seemed like half the teams in the NBA were rumored to have interest. But according to an article from The Athletic’s David Aldridge, there were a handful of franchises that made serious efforts to acquire the star guard.
Kings, Bucks, Celtics Among Those Interested
Bradley Beal picked the Suns over the Heat, Bucks, and Kings, per @ShamsCharania.
Thoughts pic.twitter.com/UfOT10x4jv
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 18, 2023
Aldridge mentions that the New York Knicks were heavy in the mix, and that both the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks made late pushes. He goes into detail a bit about the one Western Conference team that is mentioned in the piece, saying that the Sacramento Kings made inquires, but that they were unwilling to part with Keegan Murray, who had an outstanding rookie season last year.
All of the teams mentioned were playoff teams that feel that they could be a piece away from getting over the hump in the postseason. After the trade, the Suns are now listed at +650 when it comes to their championship odds, on par with the Bucks and just behind the Celtics at +600. The Nuggets are the current favorites at +400.