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Bradley Beal gets Traded from the Washington Wizards to the Phoenix Suns
Introduction
On Sunday, June 18th, 2023 the Washington Wizards finalized a trade to send the three - time NBA All - Star shooting guard, Bradley Beal, to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for a package that included Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple NBA draft 2nd - round picks, as well as future NBA pick swaps between these 2 - NBA franchises.
The Washington Wizards have also agreed to terms in order to send guard, Jordan Goodwin, and forward, Isaiah Todd, to the Phoenix Suns too.
NBA Big - 3 Powerhouse Team in the 2023 - 2024 Phoenix Suns
This recent NBA blockbuster agreement could take a little while to set into the minds of us all, but be careful as the NBA offseason free agency market opens up once again on Friday, June 30th, 2023. Beal is now on his way to the Phoenix Suns in order to form and complete an elite new NBA Big - 3 - Powerhouse team along with their current big - name players in Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.
Media Statements
"This was an extremely complicated process with so many different hurdles to get through, and (Washington Wizards owner) Ted Leonsis and (Washington Wizards president) Michael Winger were unbelievable partners in making this happen," the now Phoenix Suns’ star shooting guard Bradley Beal's sports agent, Mark Bartelstein (of Priority Sports) stated.
Bartelstein goes on to say, "From the day that Ted drafted Brad he has been by our side along with (former general managers) Ernie Grunfeld and Tommy Sheppard. They've always had Brad's back in every way and now we have experienced the exact same thing with Ted Leonsis and Michael Winger. We are extremely grateful."
Bradley Beal
In order for this deal to go down Bradley Beal is agreeing to lift his no - trade clause included in his current NBA contract so he can accommodate the trade negotiation to the Phoenix Suns’ franchise that has now realized a top - heavy roster of talent and salary may not be enough to win an NBA championship title.
Beal will now join Booker, Durant, and as of now Deandre Ayton (4 - max NBA contracts together with a looming upcoming collective bargaining agreement [CBA] calculated to severely limit the roster flexibility of NBA team who is set in the 2nd - tier of the luxury tax currently at $179.5 million). It is the ultimate all - in wager for the plateauing Phoenix Suns to chase their dream of winning their first and only NBA championship title.
The next - level arrival of Beal as well as the $207 million left on his current NBA contract projects the Phoenix Suns to be a 2nd - tier pro - ball franchise for at least the next 3 - years, which will leave the Phoenix Suns who are highly - reliant upon minimum contracts in order to fill out their roster like in past (relying on strong starters and a weak bench).
The Phoenix Suns new look NBA Roster
The Phoenix Suns leadership along with the club's core players were relentless in recent days in selling Beal on joining the Phoenix Suns as a destination to fulfill his NBA championship title aspirations.
The owner of the Phoenix Suns, Mat Ishbia, has made a major commitment to salary and luxury taxes on the Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant deals in order to pursue an NBA championship title at one point over the few upcoming seasons of the National Basketball Association. The Phoenix Suns will now have $163 million in total salary money committed to Booker, Durant, Beal, and Ayton for the 2023 - 2024 NBA season.
The Washington Wizards
Beal’s agent effectively worked closely with Winger on negotiating a trade deal with the Phoenix Suns a week or so ago, during those talks which included navigating the needs of several other NBA teams. Bradley's no - trade clause in addition to his remaining contract (included in the new NBA collective bargaining agreement) loomed large with particular road - blocks to the Washington Wizards effort in order to get a more robust return for their offering for Beal.
Unloading the final 4 - years of Brad's existing NBA contract now will clear the path for Winger to remodel the Washington Wizards’ player roster following the franchise posting losing seasons for 5 - consecutive years, missing the playoffs in 4 of those 5 - NBA seasons. The Washington Wizards previously had zero first - round NBA draft picks available to include in the deal because of the Brooklyn Nets' control of them from the Kevin Durant deal.
After 11 - years with the Washington Wizards, who drafted Beal number 3 - overall during the 2012 NBA Draft, Bradley is presently nearing 30 - years - of - age, and he has persuaded Winger that his pro - basketball franchise who was currently without a quick and easy - fix route to NBA title contention to trade the man to the Phoenix Suns.
After Beal completing the 1st - NBA season of a five - year NBA contract worth up to approximately $251 million, Beal's standing as the National Basketball Association’s only current player to have a no - trade clause worked into his deal which gave him the ability to control not only the possible new destinations, but how a potential NBA trade package was formed in order to accommodate him in this trade to Phoenix. Beal's no - trade clause will propel not only him, but the entire Phoenix Suns organization in the near future.
Leonsis enabled Winger the full authority on whether or not he wanted to pursue a rebuilding process with the Washington Wizards or continue a trajectory based upon high - priced NBA veteran talents. The Washington Wizards are currently awaiting the player - option decisions on both the forwards of Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, who both will become unrestricted NBA free agents shortly.
Beal previously averaged 23.2 points per game on a career - high 55.1 % shooting percentage in an injury - fatigued 2022 - 2023 NBA season in which he only played a total of 50 - games. Bradley has averaged 22.1 points per game, 4.1 rebounds per game, and 4.3 assists per game throughout his impressive NBA career thus far, including 30.5 and 31.3 points per game throughout both the 2019 - 2020 as well as the 2020 - 2021 NBA seasons respectively.
Bradley Beal’s Basketball Career Achievements, Honors, & Awards
- 3 - Time NBA All - Star Selection (2018, 2019, 2021)
- All - NBA Third Team Selection (2021)
- NBA All - Rookie First Team Selection (2013)
- First - Team All - SEC Selection (2012)
- Gatorade National Player of the Year Award Winner (2011)
- First - Team Parade All - American Selection (2011)
- McDonald's All - American Selection (2011)
- Mr. Show - Me Basketball Award Winner (2011)
- FIBA Under - 17 World Cup MVP Award Winner (2010)
Sources:
“Suns finalizing trade for Wizards' Bradley Beal”, Adrian Wojnarowski, espn.com, Sunday, June 18, 2023.
“Bradley Beal”, basketball-reference.com, Wednesday, June 28, 2023.