The Bradley Beal trade watch is officially over.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Phoenix Suns are acquiring the Washington Wizards’ All-Star guard in a blockbuster move in exchange for future Hall of Famer Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round draft selections plus pick swaps:
With the trade completed, the Suns now have arguably the NBA’s best “big three” in Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker:
Beal had been the subject of trade rumors in recent weeks, with the Wizards coming off yet another losing and non-playoff season. The Beal trade is a signal that the franchise is finally committing to a lengthy rebuilding period.
Paul was the subject of trade, waiver and buyout rumors ahead of the Beal trade. Washington will likely move on from the perennial All-Star guard relatively soon.
The Suns are coming off a disappointing second-round loss to the eventual NBA Champion Denver Nuggets. But with Beal now headlining the back court, there’s a strong case to be made that the Suns are now the team to beat in the gauntlet that is the Western Conference.
