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Bradley Beal remains committed to Suns despite starting lineup removal

Originally posted on Burn City Sports | By Alec Cipollini | Last updated Jan 7, 2025 3:14 PM ET

Since he was traded in the 2023 offseason, Phoenix Suns star Bradley Beal has started in every game that he has played from then until Monday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Coming off the bench, Beal had to adjust to a role he was not used to throughout his career but accepted it and shined.

Against the 76ers, he scored a team-high 25 points and had five assists for the Suns in a 109-99 win, snapping a four-game losing streak. Jusuf Nurkić, who was also removed from the starting lineup, amassed five points and seven rebounds.

With the NBA Trade Deadline soon approaching and rumors swirling around his name, Beal moving to the bench could have been taken as a sign that there is something much deeper than just a change in position.

When asked about the timing of him now being a rotation player and how that affects his thoughts on a potential trade, Beal isn’t thinking about that unless the team tells him otherwise.

“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,” Beal said.

"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

Teams around the NBA are set to move players before the Feb. 6 deadline. Since the drama surrounding Miami Heat superstar Jimmy Butler and him wanting to be traded elsewhere, the Suns have reportedly shown interest and would offer Beal in a deal. However, Miami reportedly would not want to take on Beal’s contract and Phoenix would have to get a third team involved in a trade for Butler.

If a team wants to acquire Beal from Phoenix, he has to accept the trade himself before it can go through. Besides LeBron James, Beal is the only other active NBA player with a no-trade clause in his contract. Beal has two more years on his contract, including a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27.

Until an offer comes through, he will remain with the Suns for the foreseeable future unless something drastic happens. Whether he returns to the starting lineup at some point this year or remains as a bench player, Beal will do whatever is best for the team going forward.

This article first appeared on Burn City Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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