The Los Angeles Clippers are down a star this season after the latest news surrounding veteran guard Bradley Beal. In a devastating update on Wednesday, ESPN’s Shams Charania revealed that Beal will miss the season after opting for surgery on his fractured hip.
“Los Angeles Clippers guard Bradley Beal has a fracture in his hip and will undergo season-ending surgery,” wrote Shams.
Beal had several options to address his injury and chose the method that would extend his career over preserving his current availability. Sadly, it means his first season with the Clippers has ended before it ever really began.
“We met with numerous doctors and specialists around the country in collaboration with the entire Clippers medical staff over the last few days, and came to the decision unanimously that the surgery will allow Brad to have a complete recovery,” wrote Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein.
Beal, 32, played just six games for the Clippers this season, averaging an abysmal 8.2 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game on 37.5 percent shooting. His last game was against the Suns on Sunday, where he recorded 12 points, 0 rebounds, and three assists in 19 minutes.
This development, while crushing for Beal and the Clippers, is not all that surprising. After a decade of consistency in the nation’s capital, he has been ravaged by injuries over the last few years.
Over the previous two seasons combined, he missed 58 games and is now set for the longest absence of his career. It is a tragic downfall for a player who was once considered one of the top guards in the league.
During his peak with the Wizards, Beal was a premium scorer with averages of 22.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game on 46.0 percent shooting. While he never led them to a title, he was beloved by the fans for his unwavering loyalty, which stood for 11 years.
Today, while Beal should be in his prime, a mix of injuries and poor team chemistry has ruined what may have been his last best chance to win a ring.
While this season may have started hopeful enough for the Clippers, things have devolved into uncertainty and instability as they sit 12th in the standings at just 3-7.
Their only hope now rests in Kawhi Leonard, who has also been limited to just six games this season. If he can somehow stay healthy, this team still has a chance to make some noise with guys like James Harden and Ivica Zubac.
As for what comes next, not even Beal knows for sure. With a $5.6 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign, he will have one last chance to prove his worth before becoming a free agent at 34 years old.
If this really is the end of the road for Bradley Beal as a top-level contributor, it will mark a quiet, frustrating conclusion to what was once an elite career. He gave everything to the Wizards, sacrificed for the Clippers, and never quite got the payoff. Now, as he enters the final stretch of his time in the league, the question is whether fans will remember him for what he was at his best, or for what he never got the chance to become.
