The Phoenix Suns’ trade for Bradley Beal in the summer of 2023 was initially viewed as a blockbuster move that would turn them into a championship contender.
On June 24, 2023, the Washington Wizards traded Beal, Jordan Goodwin, and Isaiah Todd to the Suns in exchange for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, four first-round pick swaps (2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030), and six second-round picks (2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2030).
The move was intended to form a superteam featuring Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal—three elite scorers who, on paper, seemed destined to dominate the league. However, less than two years later, the trade is shaping up to be one of the worst in NBA history.
The expectations for the Suns’ Big Three were sky-high, with many believing that defenses would have no answer for such a high-powered offensive trio. Instead, injuries, poor roster construction, and financial mismanagement have turned this trade into an unmitigated disaster.
Beal’s tenure in Phoenix has been a massive disappointment as his production has declined significantly compared to his years in Washington.
Since joining the Suns, he has averaged just 17.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists while shooting 50.9% from the field and 41.2% from three.
These are respectable numbers, but they pale in comparison to his career-high seasons with the Wizards, where he was an elite 30+ PPG scorer. Worse yet, Beal has struggled with availability, playing in only 101 of a possible 151 games since arriving in Phoenix.
In Beal’s first season with the Suns, the team finished sixth in the Western Conference with a 49-33 record, only to get swept in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
This season, things have gotten even worse. The Suns are currently 11th in the West with a 32-37 record, putting them in serious danger of missing the playoffs entirely.
Even if they do qualify for the play-in tournament, the Suns would likely end up as the eighth seed, meaning they would have to face the Oklahoma City Thunder, the best team in the West. Given their current form, it’s highly likely they would get bounced out early again.
Adding to the disaster of this trade, Beal refused to waive his no-trade clause despite Phoenix aggressively shopping him at the trade deadline. The Suns reportedly tried to swap Beal for Jimmy Butler, but Beal refused to leave.
He is still in the middle of his five-year, $251 million contract, with over two full seasons remaining. This means that Phoenix is essentially stuck with Beal unless he chooses to waive his clause, a scenario that seems unlikely given his reluctance to do so thus far.
The financial repercussions of the trade have also been catastrophic. The Suns are set to become the first team in NBA history to cross $400 million in total payroll and luxury tax due to repeat tax penalties. A $400 million payroll should equate to a title-contending team, yet the Suns are struggling just to secure a play-in spot.
This level of spending, combined with mediocre results, makes this one of the most poorly managed roster situations in recent memory.
Now, with no clear path forward, the Suns are expected to reassess their roster this summer. Reports suggest that both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant have been involved in trade discussions. Durant, in particular, is considered highly likely to be traded, as Phoenix explored moving him at the deadline.
If the Suns decide to blow it up and reset, this trade could go down as arguably the worst in NBA history, alongside the Paul George trade that gifted OKC a rising superstar in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a treasure trove of first-round picks.
At this point, the Bradley Beal trade has been an unmitigated disaster for the Phoenix Suns. Instead of forming a dynasty, they are on the brink of a total collapse with no cap flexibility, no future draft picks, and a roster that is far from contending.
If they don’t find a way to salvage this situation, this deal will undoubtedly be remembered as one of the worst trades in NBA history.
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