The Washington Wizards finalized a deal to trade All-Star guard Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, according to multiple reports.
Beal waived his no-trade clause to be sent to the Suns, which is notable because he had other teams he could’ve gone to. Bradley Beal used the leverage of his no-trade clause to ultimately choose his destination in the Phoenix Suns.
Beal picked the Suns over the Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, and Sacramento Kings, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Not only did the no-trade clause allow Beal to choose his destination, but also the return package.
When the deal went down, it apparently caught Chris Paul off guard. In an interview on Monday’s episode of “Good Morning America” in New York, Paul said he found out about the deal while he was traveling to be on the show.
“I was surprised, too,” Paul said with a laugh. “I found out on the plane yesterday flying here. In this league, anything can happen. Just figure out what’s next.”
For Phoenix, a franchise that had a 2-0 lead in the NBA Finals against Milwaukee in 2021 before falling in six games, this is a move they think will put them in a better situation to get back to the Finals.
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Frank Vogel is succeeding the fired Monty Williams as the new head coach and Paul will likely not play a game for the Wizards, so he could very well be a championship contender and see those Suns in the playoffs.
Beal, a three-time All-Star, has spent his entire 10-year NBA career in Washington. Selected third overall by the Wizards in the 2012 Draft, the 29-year-old guard has averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in his 10 seasons with the team.
