Insider: 0% Chance Star Returns to Suns

The Suns are heading into an offseason that will be filled with changes.

Apr 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) and guard Devin Booker (1) react on the bench against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the second half at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- As of last night, the Phoenix Suns will officially miss the playoffs for the first time since the 2019-20 season and are set to enter an offseason that could bring about drastic changes.

After assembling a roster that amounted to the highest payroll in NBA history centered around Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal, and hiring a championship coach in Mike Budenholzer, owner Mat Ishbia has a lot of decisions to make about the future of the team.

Ishbia chose to trade for Durant and Beal after taking over as owner in Feb. 2023, but the Suns have gone downhill ever since making the 2021 NBA Finals, even before Ishbia took over.

With Booker committing to remain on the Suns and Ishbia wanting to build around him, Ishbia will likely have to explore options for everyone else on the roster, including Durant and Beal.

It is well known the Suns already tried to shop both Beal and Durant during the season, and multiple reports suggest they will do the same this summer.

In Beal's case, he has basically forced the Suns hand at doing so because of his limited availability (28 missed games this season) and team-worst -9.1 net rating when he's on the floor.

Arizona Sports' John Gambadoro gave a telling update of how unlikely it is that Beal will remain on the Suns on The Burns & Gambo Show Wednesday.

"There's a zero percent chance Bradley Beal is back on this team next year. Zero percent. Kevin Durant, I think they're going to trade Kevin Durant, I think there's about a 95% chance they're going to trade Kevin Durant ... There's no wiggle room (for Beal).

"Bradley Beal come hell or high water is not going to be on this basketball team next year. He is going to be gone. Zero percent chance that he comes back, zero. This guy has held this team, this organization hostage long enough."

@Gambo987: "There's a zero percent chance that Bradley Beal is back on this Suns team next year."

Watch the full conversation here: https://t.co/10IwVbrhPJ pic.twitter.com/AwtysiZ8TO

— The Burns & Gambo Show (@BurnsAndGambo) April 10, 2025

With the Suns being over the second apron and Beal set to make over $110 million combined the next two seasons, as well as being one of two players in the NBA with a no-trade clause (LeBron James), the market to trade him will likely be dry once again. Even if there is a suitor, Beal will have to sign off on it because of his no-trade clause.

Phoenix might be forced to waive Beal and deal with taking on the rest of his contract over five years. The Suns will likely have to find a loophole if they are to do this or else they will be forced to pay him $22 million of dead money in each of these five years, which would significantly limit roster construction.

Getting off Beal will likely determine how the rest of the offseason is going to look for Phoenix. We will see what they end up doing after their season comes to a close this Sunday.