What is Bradley Beal's trade package which sent him to the Suns? Finding out more
The Phoenix Suns tipped things off this offseason trade window by finalizing a deal to acquire Bradley Beal. The franchise continues to make bold moves one after the other following Mat Ishbia's takeover in February.
Since then, Phoenix has signed Kevin Durant and seen a head coaching change, with Frank Vogel replacing Monty Williams. The trade to add Beal seems the last of their big bold moves ahead of a full season under Ishbia's ownership.
That's because of the specifics of the trade. According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, the Phoenix Suns have moved Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks, and pick swaps to acquire Bradley Beal. The Suns will also likely receive Jordan Goodwill as part of the trade.
BREAKING: The Washington Wizards are finalizing a trade to send All-Star G Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. Beal’s waiving his no-trade to form a new Big 3 with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Teams are still working thru framework, but Beal is headed to Suns. https://t.co/0lQrSh370q
The teams are still working through a framework to complete the trade. Meanwhile, Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes reported a third team could be involved in the deal to send Chris Paul to a contender instead of the rebuilding Washington Wizards. The LA Clippers have emerged as a suitor to reunite with CP3.
The Washington Wizards are likely to reroute Chris Paul in a trade and the Los Angeles Clippers are expected to pursue a reunion with the future Hall of Famer, league sources tell @NBAonTNT, @BleacherReport.
The Suns have now exhausted all their draft capital through 2030. They have committed $171 million in salaries to six players, just $8 million short of the super tax apron set at $179 million. If the Suns cross that, they won't have the flexibility to add players via a midlevel exception, buyout market, indulge in sign-and-trades and take more incoming salary in a trade.
After the trade for Bradley Beal, the Suns currently only have a $5 million midlevel and the Bi-Annual Exception worth $4.4 million. They also have the $4.9 million trade exception from Dario Saric's move to OKC Thunder.
Phoenix Suns get Bradley Beal at an affordable price
The Phoenix Suns didn't have to go out of their way to finalize the trade for Bradley Beal. The Suns were reportedly his preferred destination over Miami and Milwaukee. The Washington Wizards' no-trade clause gave Beal the power to veto a trade he didn't want, forcing them to give him up for a far lesser price than expected.
The basic framework of the deal doesn't see a single first-round pick exchange hands as of now. With the Suns contending and the Wizards likely tanking, the pick swaps won't mean much, either.
The Suns exhausted all their assets in the process of adding Bradley Beal, but another move could follow if they trade Deandre Ayton to reduce their payroll and improve the roster depth. Ayton is unlikely to fetch significant draft capital, but the Suns can take multiple players in return due to his $32 million salary for next season.
Top-heavy teams in the previous three seasons have struggled massively to achieve postseason success, so this is something to keep an eye on.