Phoenix Suns star guard Bradley Beal has been in this situation before.
That’s why this latest trade speculation swirling on social media isn’t rattling him at all.
“Until one of them come say something to me or talks to me, it’s just out there,” Beal said after Friday’s practice. “I’m a Phoenix Sun and I’m here and I’m in the uniform. I don’t pay attention to that. They did that with me for 10 years.”
Beal returned in Thursday’s 120-111 loss to Indiana at Footprint Center after missing two games with right knee swelling, scoring 16 points on 6-of-9 shooting in 31 minutes. The Suns (14-12) conclude a three-game homestand Saturday against the Detroit Pistons (11-17).
“I felt good, felt good at the end of the game really well,” Beal said. “Moving really well. So I’m in a good spot, I’m in a good spot.”
When ESPN’s Shams Charania reported the Suns were among the list of teams as possible trade destinations for Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler, Beal’s name immediately popped up largely because of the similarities in their contracts.
Despite being over the second NBA tax apron, the Suns could trade Beal for Butler and a player on a veteran minimum contract even if it brought back more money on the deal.
The key is having a veteran minimum player in the deal. Any team can take on a minimum salary player in trade in what is called the minimum salary exception.
Butler is due $48.7 million this season while Beal is due $50.2 million. So the Heat could throw in, say, Josh Richardson, who is due $3,051,153 this season on a vet minimum contract, and make the deal work.
However, Beal would have to agree to the trade as he has a no-trade clause. He’s in his second season in Phoenix after spending 11 with the Washington Wizards where he was a three-time All-Star. The Suns acquired Beal in an off-season trade in 2023 that involved Chris Paul.
Miami, which is over the first tax apron, but below the second, would need to send out more money. Teams in this situation can still aggregate (or combine) contracts to take a single contract as long as the team stays under the second tax apron.
In this case, Miami would remain under the second tax apron. Plus the Suns have a roster spot open to add a second player in a trade.
As a younger player, Beal said, he engaged in social media commentary regarding him, when asked how he deals with hearing negativity whether it’s about injuries or trade speculation.
Now at age 31, Beal handles that differently.
“I used to be a Twitter head, on there all the time and seeing what people are saying,” Beal said. “Everybody is going to have an opinion about something. I think that kind of puts you in a negative head space. I don’t pay attention to it. Everybody is going to have an opinion about something and nobody controls injuries. Everybody wants their favorite player play with their next favorite player. It’s just noise, man. You just got to go out and do your job.”
Suns coach Mike Budenholzer applauded how Beal has dealt with the injuries. Playing just 16 games this season, Beal has sat out due to an elbow sprain, calf strain and knee swelling.
“There’s a been a real level of frustration with him,” Budenholzer said. “It feels like just some bad luck with a little bit of this stuff, but I think for him to like flip, whether it’s frustration or bad luck or whatever and then go into the weight room and put his time in. Put his time in with the training staff, be there with his teammates, his energy, I think has been good, has been helpful.”
Beal is averaging 17.7 points on 50% shooting this season.
“And his head and mind and heart have been in a good place,” Budenholzer continued. “It’s not easy when you can’t play and I think he’s handled it well.”
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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