Suns Set Beal Free: Phoenix Wave Goodbye to Bradley Beal, Shedding Massive Contract
For the past few months, the Phoenix Suns’ front office has tried everything to get off Bradley Beal’s massive contract. The three-time All-Star is set to make $110.7 million over the next two seasons, and with Beal having a no-trade clause, the franchise is stuck with the bill. Phoenix is better without Beal in the lineup, as the team is 13-3 in the 31-year-old’s absence and with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant playing. This recent four-game winning streak was the longest since November, and it had Beal on the bench.
The Suns seemingly function better with its two-star lineup of Booker and Durant, which has made fans broach the idea of waiving and stretching the remaining of Beal’s contract to save money in the short-term and rebuild.
However, Gerald Bourguet of PHNX Sports discussed this on his Suns podcast on why this idea wouldn’t work because of the new CBA cap rules.
Bourguet on why Suns can’t waive Beal:
Bourguet detailed that the franchise can only have $23 million of dead cap space per year. Phoenix has Nassir Little on the books for $3.1 million for four more years, so Beal’s potential $22 million wouldn’t work. Even if the team could figure out a solution around this, waiving a contract the size of Beal would handicap the Suns’ salary cap for the next five years.
Another option around Beal’s contract is if he agrees to a buyout with Phoenix. Beal would have to give up some money for a potential buyout to work, which might be unlikely. The upcoming offseason does give the franchise another opportunity to try to unload the Suns guard contract in a trade, which has become increasingly more difficult with Beal’s value low.
The Suns could always try to rebuild their relationship with Beal and sprint towards the Play-In, as they are currently tied with the Dallas Mavericks for the 10th seed in the Western Conference. That option won’t be popular amongst fans around the Valley, but could have a much better impact as waiving Beal isn’t a viable option.
