According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Washington Wizards gave real consideration to acquiring Bradley Beal from the Phoenix Suns.
The Wizards traded Beal to the Suns in the summer of 2023.
Beal has a no-trade clause in his contract.
“It turns out that the Washington Wizards, stunning as it sounds, gave real consideration to bringing Beal to the nation’s capital,” Stein wrote. “The Wizards, of course, are the team that gave Beal that monster five-year, $251 million contract adorned with a full no-trade clause in the first place. Beal has two seasons left on the deal after this one valued at nearly $111 million. While there continues to be no indication that Beal would have blessed such a trade to go through, league sources say Washington gave the concept legitimate contemplation.”
The Suns wanted to trade Beal at this year’s NBA trade deadline, but the veteran shooting guard made it clear he wouldn’t waive his no-trade clause.
A three-time All-Star, Beal is making $50,203,930 this season. He will make $53,666,270 next season and has a player option worth $57,128,610 for the 2026-27 season.
“When Beal left the Wizards for Phoenix via trade in June 2023, he departed as the second-leading scoring in franchise history with 15,391 points … just 160 points behind the legendary Elvin Hayes,” Stein wrote. “Going back now, if nothing else, would have provided an easy (and perhaps even appealing) pathway to the top spot in Wizards annals for Beal. But Beal and his agent Mark Bartelstein were steadfast in the face of literally weeks of trade speculation involving the three-time former All-Star. Beal was simply not willing to waive his no-trade clause to go anywhere in the middle of the season, thus enabling the Warriors to trade for Butler when the Suns — hamstrung by so many roster-building restrictions as a team that has strayed so deeply into second apron luxury tax territory — could not.”
Beal is averaging 18.0 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Suns this season while shooting 50.4% from the field, 40.7% from beyond the arc and 81.6% from the free-throw line.
A Florida product, Beal turns 32 this summer. He has career averages of 21.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists with the Wizards and Suns.