Bradley Beal’s divorce from the Phoenix Suns was anything but smooth. According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the buyout talks between Beal and the Suns were “tense,” with sources revealing that the three-time All-Star refused to leave even a cent more than legally required on the table.
Beal had $99 million remaining on his contract, and for the Suns to legally waive him using the NBA’s “waive-and-stretch” provision, Beal needed to forfeit at least $13.9 million.
That figure represented the maximum cap amount the Suns could allocate to bought-out players under the CBA rules. Anything less and the deal wouldn’t be valid. Beal gave up exactly that number, not a dollar more.
The result? The Suns will carry nearly $20 million per year in dead cap space tied to Beal until the end of the decade. It’s a steep price for Phoenix, which had once imagined a Big Three featuring Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant.
But after a disappointing, injury-riddled season, the franchise chose a hard financial reset, even if it meant swallowing years of cap pain.
While Beal’s exit from Phoenix was financially calculated, his next move was more personal. Once bought out, Beal became a coveted free agent, with multiple contenders vying for his signature. The Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Milwaukee Bucks, and Miami Heat were all linked to him. But Beal rejected every one of them.
The Lakers engaged in extensive conversations with Beal’s representatives, but the guard wasn’t interested. The Warriors and Heat couldn’t offer more than the veteran minimum, and while the Bucks made a strong pitch, especially after waiving Damian Lillard, Beal still turned them down.
Instead, he chose the Clippers. The deal: two years, $11 million with a player option in 2026.
Why L.A.? According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Clippers point guard James Harden played a pivotal role in recruiting Beal, painting a picture of a title-contending trio alongside Kawhi Leonard.
The move also gives Beal a chance at career redemption. Last season with the Suns, he averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in 53 games, respectable, but far from his Washington prime. He’ll now start in a stacked lineup with Harden, Kawhi, John Collins, and Ivica Zubac, offering a real shot at a deep playoff run.
For Beal, it’s a fresh start and a chance to silence critics. For the Suns, it’s a long-term cap wound. And for the rest of the league, especially the teams he turned down, it’s a reminder that in the modern NBA, stars choose everything: their timing, their money, and their destiny.
