One Detail About Bradley Beal's New Clippers Contract Raises Eyebrows

The Los Angeles Clippers made the surprise decision to re-sign Bradley Beal. Despite the fact that the team is headed for a rebuild and has made a serious effort to get younger, the Clippers still wanted to bring the 33-year-old shooting guard back.

The more interesting part of this decision is the fact that the Clippers gave Beal a two-year, $13.2 million deal, including a player option in the second season. Beal had signed a two-year, $11 million contract last summer and had a $5.6 million player option for next season, which he turned down to become an unrestricted free agent.

After playing in only six games last season and looking like a shell of himself in those games before undergoing season-ending hip surgery, Beal somehow got a raise. When many were expecting him to be on a veteran minimum contract, Beal got a more lucrative deal than the one he had.

This is clearly an overpay for Beal. Especially given where the Clippers are as a franchise, it doesn't make much sense for them to jeopardize financial flexibility for next summer for Beal.

Beal's New Contract Suggests This May Have Been a Done Deal

What is even more eyebrow-raising, however, is the fact that this contract almost equals the amount Beal gave back to the Suns last summer in his contract buyout. The veteran shooting guard had two years and $110 million left on his deal in Phoenix. To be allowed to hit the open market, Beal gave back the Suns a total of $13.9 million.

He then quickly signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers. LA didn't have the resources at the time to give Beal a bigger contract.

This raises questions about whether there was a mutual understanding between Beal and the Clippers when the initial deal was signed. The fact that Beal ended up signing for the amount that he left in Phoenix in his buyout suggests that this may have been discussed well before this offseason.

Beal still pursued other options in free agency. The Miami Heat were reportedly an option. On paper, that is a better fit for Beal. He could start and be on a playoff team. One has to assume that the Heat were unwilling to beat LA's offer.

The Clippers really didn't need Beal. In this new post-Kawhi era, they have little use for an injury-prone 33-year-old who essentially plays the same position as Keaton Wagler. Perhaps they felt like they couldn't back out of the deal. Now, they have to hope that Beal is healthy and contributing, so that they can at least try to flip him for positive value.

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