Despite the constant trade talks, a lineup change, and the turmoil that has been this early 16-18 Phoenix Suns season, Bradley Beal has stayed committed to the four letters scribed in on his chest.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!In a new report from The Arizona Republic’s Duane Rankin, the Suns are all-in on pursuing Jimmy Butler and are currently seeking a third team to facilitate a trade.
Why a third team? Because the Miami Heat reportedly have no interest in acquiring Beal in any trade for the disgruntled Butler.
After a long, tiresome saga between the All-Star forward, Miami, Butler’s agent and various reporters, the Heat announced last week in a statement that they are officially open for trades for the six-time All-Star after handing him a seven-game suspension for disrupting the team and locker room through his quest for a trade.
Beal, on the other hand, has remained entirely professional in this process knowing that he and his no-trade clause have as much say in this situation as anyone.
This is what he said about Suns coach Mike Budenholzer’s decision to move him to the bench and if he thinks this decision was the first step in a bigger move as we inch closer to the NBA trade deadline:
“Coach made a decision. I’m not going to sit there and argue with him. I’m not going to sit here and be a distraction. I’m not going to sit here and be an a**hole. If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards. Until I’m addressed and somebody says something different, then I’ll be a Sun.”
"If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards. Until I'm addressed and somebody says something different, then I'll be a Sun."
Bradley Beal on if coming off bench is related to bigger picture as far as NBA trade talks.
Has no-trade clause in his contract. #Suns pic.twitter.com/f54au9MWFS
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) January 7, 2025
Beal’s first game as Phoenix’s sixth-man actually turned out well. He led the Suns with 25 points en-route to a much-needed 109-99 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers to snap a four-game losing skid.
As the trade deadline looms and tensions both between Butler and Miami and inside the Suns locker room rise, various teams may look to be a key player in a trade that sends Butler to the Valley and Beal anywhere but the Heat.
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Reporter Connor Moreno covers the Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @cmorenosports, and on Bluesky, @cloading.bsky.social
