Clippers Coach Says Bradley Beal Was Overshadowed on Suns

Ty Lue feels Bradley Beal had a solid individual season with the Suns given the circumstances.

Jan 29, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) with guard Bradley Beal (3) and Devin Booker (1) against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- Things clearly did not work out for Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns with Phoenix deciding to buy out the veteran guard after two seasons this summer.

Beal now looks to have a fresh start with the Los Angeles Clippers, who boast one of the best starting 5s on paper with James Harden, Beal, Kawhi Leonard, John Collins and Ivica Zubac.

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue is looking forward to trying to unlock Beal, who he feels did just fine on the Suns as the third option behind Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

“(Beal's) definitely going to be a big help for us offensively," Lue said of Beal on Shannon Sharpe's Club Shay Shay Podcast. "We're gonna need him to score, but outside of scoring, we're going to need him to make plays for other guys too. He’s gonna draw two or three guys and he can make a pass, he can make a play.

"And then defensively, he’s always been good. But you gotta challenge him every night. If he’s on bad players, he’s not as good. But when he’s guarding a guy that can play, he’s a really good defender, and so we need his total all-around package.

"When you play for a team like Phoenix, like he did the last couple years, you got Booker and KD and you’re the third option ... He averaged 18 points, shot 50% from the field and 43% from three. Those are unbelievable stats. But when you’re playing with KD and Book, it kinda gets overshadowed.”

Ty Lue on Bradley Beal:

“He’s gonna draw two or three guys and he can make a pass, he can make a play. And then defensively, he’s always been good. But you gotta challenge him every night. If he’s on bad players, he’s not as good. But when he’s guarding a guy that can play, he’s… pic.twitter.com/XirOz2KVSr

— Joey Linn (@joeylinn_) August 27, 2025

Lue is correct about Beal's efficiency from the floor, but he simply just did not fit on the Suns and that led to them not winning a single playoff game during his time in the Valley.

The problem with Beal on the Suns was his inconsistency, as he had the lowest plus/minus on the Suns last season at -5.2, and his inability to stay healthy, as he played in only 106 of a possible 164 games during his two seasons in Phoenix.

Norman Powell, who is older than Beal, had a breakout year last season with the Clippers in the same role Beal is going to play, so Beal will look to get back to his old self and stay healthy enough to be a big contributor for Los Angeles.

The Suns will get an early look at Beal on his new team, as they are scheduled to play the Clippers the second game of the season on the road on Oct. 24 and then host the Clippers at home on Nov. 6.