{"id":149066,"date":"2025-07-07T06:04:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-07T10:04:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=149066"},"modified":"2025-07-07T06:04:11","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T10:04:11","slug":"bradley-beal-buyout-five-potential-suitors","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/07\/07\/bradley-beal-buyout-five-potential-suitors\/","title":{"rendered":"Bradley Beal Buyout Looming, Five Potential Suitors Provided"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Recently turned 32 years old, <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/bealbr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Bradley Beal<\/a>\u2019s tenure with the Phoenix Suns hasn\u2019t gone as smoothly as all parties had hoped. In the two years since the partnership began, the team hasn\u2019t won a single playoff game (didn\u2019t qualify last season). <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/04\/05\/bradley-beal-struggles\/\" target=\"_self\">Beal has become<\/a> somewhat of a scapegoat by the fans due to his large salary, no-trade clause, and less productivity than his earlier days with the Washington Wizards. With reports of a Bradley Beal buyout coming soon, a list of rumored suitors has also been provided.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_149089\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-149089\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-149089\" src=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-1024x683.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/9\/2025\/07\/USATSI_25908648_168414264_lowres-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-149089\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Apr 11, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) puts up a layup against San Antonio Spurs guard Blake Wesley (14) during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Bradley Beal Buyout Looming, Five Potential Suitors Provided<\/h2>\n<h3>Bradley Beal Expected to Receive A Buyout From The Suns<\/h3>\n<p>A 13-year veteran, Beal has two years remaining on his current deal. Next season, it is for $53,666,270, and for 2026-27, he has a player option worth $57,128,610. That would surely be exercised by Beal.<\/p>\n<p>It likely won\u2019t come down to that $57+ million question for Beal though. Per John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7, a resolution on a contract buyout should be coming real soon. Evan Sidery, an NBA contributor for Forbes, provided a list of five teams that will be interested in his services once he becomes available.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">I expect a decision and resolution on Bradley Beal\u2019s situation in the next 24-48 hours.<\/p>\n<p>&mdash; John Gambadoro (@Gambo987) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/Gambo987\/status\/1941885847285993679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">At least five teams are expected to show free agent interest in Bradley Beal, once he officially becomes available later this week:<\/p>\n<p>Bucks<br \/>Clippers<br \/>Heat<br \/>Lakers<br \/>Nuggets<\/p>\n<p>As a pure scorer at a significantly cheaper annual salary, Beal\u2019s market among contenders will be robust. <a  href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/mkpZ5m1ZsJ\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pic.twitter.com\/mkpZ5m1ZsJ<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Evan Sidery (@esidery) <a  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/esidery\/status\/1941894117786616221?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">July 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Last season, Beal appeared in 53 games (38 starts). The 6-foot-4 guard posted averages of 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.1 steals. He shot 49.7% from the field, 38.6% from beyond the arc, and 80.3% from the free-throw line. While solid numbers, they are still a far cry from the 30+ points he averaged for Washington back in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Beal also hasn\u2019t appeared in more than 60 games since 2018-19.<\/p>\n<p>Would Beal want to join a team that would use him as a starter? He was in the starting lineup for every one of his appearances spanning from 2016-17 until 2023-24.<\/p>\n<h3>Which Suitors Can Give Him A Role In The Starting Lineup?<\/h3>\n<p>Out of the five teams Sidery listed, the Milwaukee Bucks seem like the team who may be most ready to \u00a0give Beal a starting role. The team did re-sign <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/t\/trentga02.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gary Trent Jr.<\/a> on a two-year, $7.5 million deal (second year is a player option). Milwaukee did seem comfortable bringing the sharpshooter off the bench though, as the 26-year-old was a reserve in 65 of his 74 appearances. <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/05\/03\/wizards-win-kyle-kuzma-trade\/\" target=\"_self\">Both might be better choices<\/a> than <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/k\/kuzmaky01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kyle Kuzma<\/a> to start, but it would hurt their rebounding if they started both Beal and Trent.<\/p>\n<p>Both LA teams, the Lakers and Clippers, also seem like a possibility for Beal to go in and slide into the starting lineup. It just is far from a sure thing. The Lakers would need to send <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/h\/hachiru01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rui Hachimura<\/a> to the bench. They can then slide <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/r\/reaveau01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Austin Reaves<\/a> to small forward and <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/j\/jamesle01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">LeBron James<\/a> to power forward. The Clippers would need to sit <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/d\/dunnkr01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kris Dunn<\/a> at the start of games. He started 58 outings last season though, and he played a large role in the team\u2019s stellar defensive work.<\/p>\n<p>The Heat would seemingly need to trade <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/w\/wiggian01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Andrew Wiggins<\/a> (or bench <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/m\/mitchda01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Davion Mitchell<\/a>). The Nuggets don\u2019t seem to have a role for him in the starting lineup after <a  href=\"https:\/\/www.basketball-reference.com\/players\/b\/braunch01.html\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Christian Braun<\/a> played excellent basketball last season, his first as a full-time starter. In the meantime, news of a Bradley Beal buyout must happen first before he can move on elsewhere.<\/p>\n<p>Photo credit: \u00a9 Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Recently turned 32 years old, Bradley Beal\u2019s tenure with the Phoenix Suns hasn\u2019t gone as smoothly as all parties had hoped. In the two years since the partnership began, the team hasn\u2019t won a single playoff game (didn\u2019t qualify last season). Beal has become somewhat of a scapegoat by the fans due to his large [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5060,"featured_media":149088,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,62,3,28],"tags":[311],"class_list":["post-149066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-nba","category-news","category-suns","tag-bradley-beal"],"modified_by":"Kenny Kluska","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149066","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5060"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=149066"}],"version-history":[{"count":22,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149066\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":149091,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/149066\/revisions\/149091"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/149088"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=149066"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=149066"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=149066"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}