Suns Star Open to Trade This Offseason

PHOENIX -- Things could look a lot different for the Phoenix Suns this summer.

There have already been multiple reports that suggest the Suns will likely be trading away Kevin Durant this offseason after he was included in trade talks at the deadline, and retooling around Devin Booker.

This could also mean that Suns star guard Bradley Beal could be on the move as well. However, it has been hard to gauge if Beal is open to leaving and if teams are willing to take on his massive contract and no-trade clause.

Beal had been the subject of trade rumors involving former Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler for months earlier this season, but those talks never materialized because the Suns could not find a trade partner for Beal and Butler was instead traded to the Golden State Warriors.

In the midst of all of this, Beal was demoted to a bench role in early January, but has since been inserted back into the starting lineup.

The Suns have still not been able to figure anything out, as they currently have a 30-36 record and are 2.5 games back of the last Western Conference play-in spot with only 16 games remaining.

In his second year with Phoenix since being acquired from the Washington Wizards in June 2023, Beal has missed 20 games on the year due to various injuries, and in the games he has played, the Suns have the worst net rating with him on the floor than any other player (-7.7). Beal also has the worst plus/minus on the team at minus-4.5 in 1503 total minutes this season.

Beal explained his thoughts on the whole situation and where he stands on a trade now in a new story by ESPN’s Tim MacMahon.

MacMahon wrote:

“Beal dealt with hearing his name in trade rumors for most of the first half of the season, despite still possessing his no-trade clause, as the Suns unsuccessfully attempted to find a pathway to trade for Jimmy Butler. He was also demoted to a bench role in early January, returning to the starting lineup Feb. 22, when the Suns snapped a four-game losing streak by beating the Chicago Bulls.

“The role change prompted speculation that the demotion was intended to make Beal disgruntled enough to accept a midseason trade, but team sources are adamant that utilizing Beal as a sixth man was purely a basketball strategy decision.

“Nevertheless, Beal admits that he has felt disrespected at times by the Suns this season.

"‘I'm human, so I have to really take a step back and just kind of look at the big picture,’ Beal told ESPN. ‘And my biggest thing is when I came here I want to win. I've scored 30 points a game. I've been an All-Star. I've been All-NBA. I want to win. That's always been my label -- I haven't won anything. So whatever that looks like for the team, whether that's me coming up the bench, whether it's me starting, whether it's me, whatever it is, I'm going to do it. Do I agree with it? Hell, no, but I'm not going to be that guy.’

“‘I enjoy the game, man. This game is fun. I try not to let nobody take the joy out of it for me. It's very hard. It's hard. We're all human beings, man. We have every right to shut down. We have every right to question what's going on. You have every right to say, 'Why me?' But I feel like that just drags you down a little bit more than you need. I'm still playing in the NBA, I still have the best job in the world, and I still have my no-trade clause. So I'm smiling every day.’

“Like Durant, Beal had no interest in having his life uprooted with a midseason trade. But Beal, whose longtime agent, Mark Bartelstein, is the Suns CEO's father, is open to considering other possibilities this offseason.

“‘It is a different deal in the summer,’ Beal said. ‘Everything is kind of more laid out on the table. You got more options.’”

Even with all of this, Beal told MacMahon he has not given up hope on this season.

"(The season is) not over yet, so that's kind of my mindset," Beal said via ESPN. "I'm always going to be the naive guy. I played in D.C. for 11 years, so naive is kind of my middle name. We still haven't played our best basketball. ... We have the toughest [remaining] schedule in the league, too, so it's a good challenge for us. Either we can s--- or get off the pot."