Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea make their introductions
Phoenix Suns general manager Brian Gregory introduces the team’s 2025 draft picks: Khaman Maluach, Rasheer Fleming and Koby Brea.
Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns are discussing a buyout, making Beal a potential unrestricted free agent.Beal’s potential fit with each team is analyzed, considering his playing style and the existing team dynamics.
The Phoenix Suns parting ways with Bradley Beal appears imminent.
The two sides have remained in discussion over a possible buyout, league sources informed The Arizona Republic. With a no-trade clause, Beal has a combined $110 million remaining on his five-year, $251-million contract he signed with the Washington Wizards that’s entering its fourth year.
If bought out by the Suns, Beal will be an unrestricted free agent and can join any team. The Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors are reported teams of interest.
What’s the best fit for the three-time All-Star?
Dream teammate: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Out of the four teams, Milwaukee has the best player in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As much talk as there has been about the two-time MVP possibly requesting a trade, the Bucks shouldn’t even consider moving an all-time great in his prime.
Beal will get wide open catch-and-shoot 3s playing with Antetokounmpo, a willing passer who has averaged a career-high 6.5 assists in each of his last two seasons.
The Bucks needs a shooting guard after waiving Damian Lillard. Milwaukee isn’t sunny like Los Angeles nor in California like Golden State, but may be the best basketball fit of the four teams for Beal when considering he’d share the court with Antetokounmpo.
Beal made 40.6% of his catch-and-shoot 3s last season. He also hit 42.9% of his 3s with between four and seven seconds left on the shot clock. That’s important when playing with Antetokounmpo, a guy who has the ball a lot, is doubled and makes decisions late in the shot clock.
Antetokounmpo is essentially the team’s point guard, but Beal can serve as a secondary playmaker. His career high for assists in a season is 6.6 in 2021-22.
Defensively, Beal can be more aggressive with Myles Turner and Antetokounmpo serving as rim protectors.
Best chance to win a title: Lakers
What’s crazy here is Beal was looking forward to playing with Deandre Ayton in Phoenix before the Suns traded Ayton to Portland right before their 2023 training camp.
Ayton is now with the Lakers.
Lakers coach JJ Redick felt Beal was a solid third option in Phoenix.
“I’m not sure, from a production standpoint, what more would you ever expect from a third option in the NBA,” Redick said before the Lakers defeated the Suns, 107-96, March 16 in Los Angeles.
“I’m not sure, from a production standpoint, what more would you ever expect from a third option in the NBA.”
JJ Redick on Suns guard Bradley Beal, who is averaging 17.6 points on 50.6% shooting (39.8% from 3) in 47 games. #Suns pic.twitter.com/H7RGJU4Inr
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 16, 2025
Playing with Luka Doncic and LeBron James sounds super ideal for Beal’s ability to shoot the ball. He’d be a third or fourth option playing with Austin Reaves, Doncic, James and Ayton.
The West is stacked, starting with defending NBA champion Oklahoma City and continuing with the Minnesota Timberwolves and Denver Nuggets.
Still, any team with the ageless James and an in-top-condition Doncic has more than a puncher’s chance to make their way to the finals.
Having Beal could help.
Best utilized: Clippers
Ty Lue is arguably the NBA’s best coach.
He’d find a way to maximize Beal’s talents. Just look at Norman Powell.
An All-Star snub, Powell averaged a career-high 21.8 points, connecting on 41.8% from 3, last season.
With the Clippers trading Powell to Miami, Beal can fall right into that scoring void and deliver similar numbers. They’re both 6-4 in height with Beal maybe being more athletic.
Again, he’ll get open shots playing with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Beyond that, the Clippers think long-term.
The way they managed Leonard health-wise to have him ready for the playoffs, the Clippers may have the winning formula for Beal. The Clippers are arguably the best of these four teams when healthy.
Getting athletic big John Collins from Utah in the Powell trade when they already have Ivica Zubac and Brook Lopez gives Los Angeles size to go with Leonard and Harden.
Beal can be the third perimeter scorer who can allow Harden to operate off the ball.
Most intriguing situation: Warriors
Golden State had the deepest playoff run of the four teams and stood a good chance of reaching the Western Conference finals had Stephen Curry not been lost due to injury.
The Warriors are an interesting team.
They have Curry, the league’s greatest shooter ever, Jimmy Butler, a playmaker who can deliver in the clutch and Draymond Green, the ultimate hub in terms of having the offense run through him.
They are three of the most intelligent basketball minds. Beal could fit into that mix in a system that can create opportunities for him to score easy points.
How the Jonathan Kuminga situation unfolds will factor into how the Warriors look next season, but the creative side of Beal’s game could really flourish in Golden State. When healthy, Beal still has a potent offensive bag with stop-and-start actions that leads to pullups, step backs and drives to the rim.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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