Back in 2023, the Phoenix Suns acquired Bradley Beal by parting with a package centered around Chris Paul and several future draft picks—including their 2025 second-rounder, which ended up becoming Micah Peavy. The deal was a three-team trade that involved seven players and draft selections stretching all the way to 2030. Though it’s been over a year, the consequences of the deal continue to haunt the Suns—especially given how Beal has performed since arriving.
The franchise brought Beal in with the belief that teaming him with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant would put them firmly in championship contention. Instead, Beal has looked more like a supporting piece than a star. As one article put it, “There is always a new problem,” and his no-trade clause makes it nearly impossible for the team to move on from him. His “massive contract is impossible to waive,” so the Suns are locked in with Beal until his deal runs out in 2027.
The latest reminder of this misstep? Losing the 40th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as yet another cost from the original trade. Phoenix isn’t done paying either—they still owe four second-round picks and three first-round pick swaps. The long-term outlook isn’t pretty.
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Updated Trade Breakdown:
Suns received: Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, Isaiah Todd
Wizards received: Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, Bilal Coulibaly, Melvin Ajinca, Micah Peavy, 3 future first-round pick swaps, 4 second-round picks
Pacers received: Jarace Walker, 2028 second-round pick (from Suns), 2029 second-round pick (from Wizards)
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Beal’s contract is widely seen as undesirable, and his insistence on maintaining a no-trade clause only worsens the situation for Phoenix. The franchise essentially went “all-in” and has little to show for it—just one playoff appearance and a full miss in 2025. The future now seems uncertain.
The Suns will be feeling the fallout from this trade for the next five draft cycles. Even though Beal’s contract will eventually expire, the long-term damage may already be done. With limited draft capital and flexibility, a full rebuild could be looming. The overpay for Kevin Durant and the Beal trade are both major factors in this decline—and many fans place the blame squarely on owner Mat Ishbia.
While the 40th pick alone isn’t a major loss, the real concern lies in the first-round pick swaps, especially if the Wizards begin to rise. Because Phoenix doesn’t control its future picks, the team can’t afford to tank. Improvement must come without high draft selections, or the Suns risk becoming irrelevant for the next decade.
The burden is now on Mat Ishbia to turn the franchise around. Confidence in that happening is low, but it’s his responsibility to fix the mess. Moving Beal would be a start, but “fans shouldn’t expect it.” As it stands, “the only thing they know for certain is things are bad and trending towards total disaster.” A solution may not be in sight.
