It was a long season for Phoenix Suns fans as Bradley Beal’s experiments failed.
He is still with the team, but his contract remains a sun obstacle. A deal for beer could open as Phoenix is looking for a new direction.
The Phoenix Suns were one of the most exciting teams ahead of the 2023-24 season. They had an All-Star legitimate trio alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beale. It was a group of skilled scorers, but the surrounding roster was optimal.
As a result, they lost in the first round sweep in 2024 and missed the postseason in 2025. This was a less polite project that led to Durant’s deal with the Houston Rockets. They made the most of Durant’s value and in return they got Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks.
That leaves logjams on the shooting guards along with Bradley Beal, Booker and Green. Unfortunately, Beer is a strange guy, as Green wants to prove his worth. Due to his no trade provisions, he can block trades related to him, but he is opening up the move.
As a player with a non-trade clause, Beal can cherry pick the team he wants to play. The team doesn’t want to pay more than $50 to use Beal on the roster if he offers an inactive performance.
Some people like Bill Simmons have proposed the idea that Beale will waive his non-trade clause. That might be a good plan, but it will require a difficult decision from the Sands front office. Team owner Matt Ishvia was able to force his hand, but that could result in a bad look.
Beer is open to leaving Phoenix, but that depends on where he goes. This is a tough situation for the sun as they can’t find a suitable landing spot for beer. It has become an inevitable issue, so there is no team to touch on the contract.
His taste is to stay in Phoenix and compete for his spot, but that leaves Jordan Ott with problems.
OTT may need to leave one of the greens or beers to the bench. This is a tough decision. They both earn huge pay so it doesn’t look good when they sit on the bench.
Durant is heading for better things with the Rockets, but the sun is falling into the dump. This situation with Beal and his contract is hindering the team’s ceiling. They have a legitimate superstar for Booker, but have not maximized his talent at the limit.
Beal’s deal was a decent idea for his All-Star level scoring. Unfortunately, it took over their trio and the rest of the roster. The sun is on the frontier, as they could not compete for the championship.
Booker wants to stay, but this situation may force his hand. He is approaching his 30s and was able to seek future deals. If he wants to compete for the championship, being with the Suns will separate him from that goal.
Sands has to find the resolution of Beer’s conundrum as he could lose more if he is stuck. He doesn’t look bothered about it, which could even make Sands fans irritated.