Bradley Beal Trade Bombshell: Suns Land All-Star Guard in Blockbuster NBA Deal

Dateline: Phoenix, AZ — July 16, 2025 H2: Bradley Beal Secures Phoenix Suns Buyout, Clearing Path to Los Angeles Clippers Three-time NBA All-Star guard Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns finalized a contract buyout Wednesday morning, ending Beal’s two-season tenure in the Valley and freeing him to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers once waivers clear. H2: Why the Suns Chose a Buyout Over a Waive-and-Stretch Phoenix flirted with the league’s new second-apron tax line after last summer’s Kevin Durant–Devin Booker–Beal super-team experiment failed to deliver a championship. By negotiating a reduced payout rather than stretching the remaining $147 million on Beal’s contract, owner Mat Ishbia sliced roughly $38 million in projected cap commitments for 2025-26 and regained flexibility to retool around Durant and Booker. H2: Clippers Add Scoring Punch Without Sacrificing Core For the Clippers, Beal’s modest $5.5 million average annual salary represents a low-risk, high-reward gamble. Los Angeles still possesses Bird rights on cornerstone forward Paul George and can pursue a new deal with center Ivica Zubac while sliding Beal into a sixth-man or secondary-playmaker role behind Kawhi Leonard. The Clips also gain a proven closer—Beal averaged 21.2 points, 5.0 assists, and 40.6 percent from three in 2024-25 despite a lingering hamstring strain. H3: Projected Clippers Depth Chart • PG: James Harden / Bones Hyland • SG: Bradley Beal / Terance Mann • SF: Kawhi Leonard / Norman Powell • PF: Paul George / P.J. Tucker • C: Ivica Zubac / Mason Plumlee Coach Tyronn Lue is expected to stagger Leonard, George, and Beal to ensure two elite shot-creators are on the floor at all times. H2: What’s Next for Bradley Beal? Beal must clear waivers by 5 p.m. ET Friday; league sources expect no team to claim the remaining $43 million on his 2025-26 player option, allowing him to finalize the Clippers deal immediately afterward. The contract includes a second-year player option, giving Beal flexibility to re-enter free agency in 2026, when the NBA’s new media-rights windfall could spike the salary cap. H2: Impact on the Western Conference Playoff Race • Suns: Free up mid-level exception, target rim-protecting center and 3-and-D wing. • Clippers: Form a “Big Four” on a bargain, hoping health issues that derailed 2024 run are behind them. • Lakers, Nuggets, Warriors: Must now account for an additional elite scorer in conference game-planning. H2: Fantasy & Betting Angle Beal’s minutes may dip, but his efficiency should rise alongside Leonard and George, positioning him as a top-60 fantasy asset. Early sportsbook lines moved the Clippers from +1100 to +850 to win the 2026 NBA title within an hour of the buyout news breaking. H2: Bottom Line Bradley Beal’s calculated exit from Phoenix realigns two Western contenders overnight. The Suns gain much-needed cap breathing room, while the Clippers roll the dice on a cost-controlled All-Star whose scoring pedigree could swing the balance of power in the Pacific Division.