Suns Reveal Bradley Beal’s Final Playing Status vs Detroit Pistons

Will Bradley Beal face the Detroit Pistons on Saturday?

Oct 8, 2023; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) passes the ball against the Detroit Pistons during the first half of a pre-season game at Little Caesars Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Reginek-Imagn Images | David Reginek-Imagn Images

A Saturday evening matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Detroit Pistons won’t include Bradley Beal.

According to the official NBA injury report, the Suns have ruled out Beal for the afternoon. Lately, the veteran guard has been dealing with a left ankle sprain.

Beal’s absence doesn’t come as a surprise. When the Suns submitted their injury report on Friday night, Beal was already downgraded to doubtful for the matchup.

Bradley Beal, listed as doubtful, is out for today's 4 p.m. matinee vs. the Pistons, Mike Budenholzer says. New acquisition Nick Richards is expected to play.

— Keith Langlois (@Keith_Langlois) January 18, 2025

The Pistons game will mark the second game in a row Beal will miss action. When the Suns paid a visit to the Washington Wizards two nights ago, Beal was ruled out for the first time since 2025 arrived.

Lately, Beal has taken on a bench role for Phoenix. As the Suns hit a skid to close out 2024, the organization figured a big lineup change could be beneficial. Beal joined the center Jusuf Nurkic in getting moved to the bench.

Oct 11, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) puts up a layup against Detroit Pistons guard Malik Beasley (5) during the first half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

Just because Beal started coming off of the bench didn’t mean his minutes were going to fade. Through his first six games in that new role, Beal averaged 31 minutes of playing time.

The veteran guard posted an average of 16 points, four assists, and three rebounds. He shot 35 percent from three and 51 percent from the field over that span.

With Beal coming off of the bench, the Suns climbed out of their rut. In that six-game stretch, the Suns won all but two of their games. When they faced the Wizards without Beal against Washington earlier this week, the Suns collected a seven-point win.

The Pistons are looking to get back in the winner’s column against Phoenix on Saturday. After coming up short against the Indiana Pacers, the Pistons are looking to avoid falling back to .500. The two teams will tip-off at 4 PM ET.

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