Things could not have worked out better for Bradley Beal.
With the Phoenix Suns all set to rebuild their roster around Devin Booker following the recent trade that sent away Kevin Durant, reports surfaced that the three-time NBA All-Star Beal and and the team were finalizing a buyout of the final two years and $110 million left on his deal. Beal eventually gave back nearly $14 million, while Phoenix gained a semblance of cap flexibility by stretching the remaining salary over the next five seasons.
At 32, Beal still has plenty in the tank and was largely underutilized during his two-year stay with the Suns. This is the same guard who once averaged over 30 points in back-to-back seasons with the Washington Wizards and was widely regarded as one of the best pure scorers in the league as recently as the early parts of this decade.
Beal will now sign with the Los Angeles Clippers on a team-friendly two-year, $11 million contract once he clears waivers. He should fit in much better with the Clippers as the team’s primary shooting guard next to Kawhi Leonard and James Harden. Los Angeles recently traded away swingman Norman Powell for forward John Collins which opens up a significant perimeter role for Beal.
The scoring punch that Beal brings is just what the Clippers need after finishing a middling 15th in offensive rating last season. He is a career 37.6% shooter from three, can create his own shot on a consistent basis, and has proven from his time playing with John Wall on the Wizards that he can thrive as a secondary playmaker.
Defense could be a concern—neither he nor Harden are known for their work on that end of the floor—but both veterans are chasing a first NBA championship, and that urgency should at least sharpen their effort.
Time is not on Los Angeles’ side–the 32-year-old Beal is already the youngest member of their new “Big Three” as Leonard is already 34 while Harden is 35. History shows that these types of teams that bring together a group of older stars never work out, but there is indeed a first time for everything.
What this Clippers team has working in its advantage is fit. The trio of Leonard, Harden, and Beal fit perfectly with one another and their supporting cast–Collins, Ivica Zubac, Brook Lopez, Bogdan Bogdanovic–fits in perfectly next to them.
If health cooperates—and that has always been the caveat for teams that have Leonard—Los Angeles should once again emerge as a contender in the West. Beal should arrive hungry, Leonard remains an elite two-way player, and Harden can still warp opposing defenses. This veteran core likely has a year or two to make a legitimate push for a championship, and they know it; the only question now is whether the Clippers can find themselves a bit of good fortune to finally push them over the top.
