Bradley Beal’s largely forgettable stint with the Phoenix Suns came to a merciful end when the Pacific division franchise cut him loose last month and stretched his remaining salary. It was a tough pill to swallow for the Suns, who used the stretch provision on Beal’s remaining $99 million salary for the next five years. But at least that part is over for the Suns, who will have to learn the lessons from what is widely viewed as a misstep.

After parting ways with the Suns, Beal decided to take his talents to La La Land, signing with the Los Angeles Clippers for a two-year contract worth $10.98 million. The 32-year-old Beal raised the average age of the relatively geriatric Clippers squad, but he should bring more to LA’s table than just mere seniority, which the team is already brimming with. 

“I need a ring,” the three-time NBA All-Star shooting guard told Tamar Sher of KMOV in St. Louis. “I want one bad. And I feel like I’ve got a new life of rejuvenation for sure, a new hunger. Excited about the opportunity.”

The Clippers have struck out of the playoffs in the first round in each of the last three seasons, making them a perennial underachiever despite having talented assets in Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

At this point in his career, Beal isn’t after building a name and establishing himself in the NBA. He is a known commodity on a team with enough talent to make a serious run for an NBA championship in the 2025-26 campaign. The same can be said, however, about the Phoenix Suns when he was running alongside Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, only for that Big Three to ultimately become a failed project that never got past the first round of the playoffs in two seasons.

But Beal is hoping that this new chapter will provide a much stable environment for him, not to mention be a healthier stint after missing a bunch of games last season due to injuries. 

That may or may not turn out to be the truth next season, but this isn’t the worst situation Beal could have landed after getting tossed by the Suns. Beal’s experience and shooting will be valuable for Los Angeles, which needed depth in the shooting guard position following the departure of Norman Powell.

In two seasons with the Suns, Beal averaged 17.6 points on a 50.5 field goal percentage while shooting 40.7 percent from behind the arc through 106 games.