Bradley Beal Reportedly Prefers to Remain with Suns, 'Open' to Trade amid NBA Rumors
Veteran guard Bradley Beal reportedly wants to remain with the Phoenix Suns, but he isn't completely closed off to the idea of a trade.
According to Fred Katz of The Athletic, a league source familiar with Beal said his preference is to stay with the Suns, although he would be "open to the right trade that sends him [to] the right destination."
Per Katz, the Suns attempted to trade Beal during the 2024-25 season, but his no-trade clause allowed him to veto any potential deal.
League sources noted that while "certain winning situations or spectacular organizations would appeal" to Beal, he does not want to "leave his family or upend their lives."
Originally the No. 3 overall pick in the 2012 NBA draft by the Washington Wizards, Beal spent his first 11 seasons in Washington, earning three All-Star selections along the way.
Phoenix acquired him prior to the 2023-24 season in hopes that Beal would form a core along with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker that could help the Suns win their first championship.
However, injuries have been an issue for Beal, limiting him to 53 games in each of the past two seasons.
On top of that, his production has dipped significantly compared to what he did in Washington when he averaged at least 22 points per game in seven consecutive seasons, including over 30 points per game in 2019-20 and 2020-21.
Beal has still been efficient during his time in Phoenix, averaging 18.2 points per game on 51.3 percent shooting from the field and 43.0 percent shooting from beyond the arc in 2023-24, and 17.0 points per game on 49.7 percent shooting from the floor and 38.6 percent shooting from deep last season.
Beal's arrival did not lead to much overall team success for the Suns, as they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in 2024 and missed the playoffs last season.
On the heels of a hugely disappointing 2024-25 campaign, the Suns traded Durant to the Houston Rockets earlier this week for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
That seemed to suggest that the Suns were about to enter a rebuild, but they subsequently acquired center Mark Williams in a trade with the Charlotte Hornets, which is a move that will help them next season.
The Suns could be competitive with a core of Booker, Beal, Green, Brooks and Williams, but that may not be enough to make the playoffs in a stacked Western Conference.
Because of that, it seems likely that the Suns would jump at the opportunity to move Beal's $53.6 million salary if a team is willing to take it and if Beal is willing to waive his no-trade clause.
