🔥 Phoenix Suns Set Sights on Bradley Beal Exit After Durant Deal Shocker
The 2025 NBA offseason has exploded into high gear, and the Phoenix Suns are wasting no time making bold, franchise-altering moves. After a rocky 2024-25 campaign, Phoenix has pulled the trigger on two massive changes within days—first by replacing head coach Mike Budenholzer with the relatively unknown but highly regarded assistant Jordan Ott, and then by completing a blockbuster trade that sends Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets.
In a deal that’s already sending shockwaves across the league, Durant was traded to Houston in exchange for dynamic young guard Jalen Green, defensive enforcer Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, and a haul of five second-round picks. While this move signals a pivot toward a younger and more flexible core, it’s created an immediate logjam at the guard position—most notably impacting the future of veteran shooting guard Bradley Beal.
The Suns already feature All-Star Devin Booker in the backcourt, and the addition of Green creates a surplus of ball-dominant guards. Initially, speculation pointed toward a potential flip of Green to another team. However, reports have since emerged that Phoenix plans to keep the electric 22-year-old guard and start him alongside Booker, forming a high-octane backcourt tandem.
So where does that leave Beal?
According to a report from Suns insider John Gambadoro, Phoenix has already begun crafting its next major move—one that revolves squarely around Beal. The franchise is expected to pursue either a trade or a buyout of Beal’s contract during the offseason, finally acting on an outcome that had been rumored for months.
Phoenix had previously attempted to trade Beal at the 2025 trade deadline but was unable to do so due to his rigid no-trade clause and a distinct lack of suitors. The challenge, then and now, stems from Beal’s steep decline in performance and his mammoth contract, which still owes him over $100 million across the next two seasons.
If no teams express legitimate trade interest—and if Beal refuses to waive his no-trade clause—the Suns may be left with no option but to negotiate a costly buyout. Such a move would require the team to absorb a staggering financial hit, effectively eating the remainder of Beal’s deal. That’s a worst-case scenario, but one Phoenix appears increasingly prepared to accept in order to clear space and reshape the roster.
Beal’s presence has been somewhat underwhelming since his arrival in Phoenix. After being acquired in a splashy trade from Washington, expectations were sky-high for a Big Three pairing of Durant, Booker, and Beal. But consistent injuries, chemistry issues, and underperformance prevented the trio from ever truly clicking—and now, the Suns seem ready to scrap that failed vision altogether.
The writing on the wall is clear: with Durant gone, the Suns are recalibrating around Booker and their emerging young assets, including Green. Beal, whose prime years appear to be behind him, simply doesn’t fit the team’s timeline or long-term strategy anymore.
Still, the Suns’ front office faces a delicate dance. They must either find a team willing to take on Beal’s salary—or reach an amicable buyout that doesn’t cripple their cap sheet. In either case, the former three-time All-Star’s future in Phoenix looks all but over.
As the offseason progresses, all eyes will be on the Suns and their next bold move. With one franchise-altering trade already in the books, the Bradley Beal situation could be the next domino to fall.
