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Phoenix Suns facing $13 million conundrum with Bradley Beal buyout, he could make things more difficult for Mat Ishbia

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jul 13, 2025 8:28 AM ET

The Phoenix Suns are at the mercy of Bradley Beal, as rumors of his buyout with the team heat up.

The Phoenix Suns are looking to usher in a new era for their team. After trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets, they are stepping away from the unfortunate superteam era.

The next player they have to address is Bradley Beal. Similar to the Milwaukee Bucks and Damian Lillard, the Suns want to buy out Beal’s remaining contract and make him a free agent.

Beal’s no-trade clause has made it impossible for the Suns to move him without his consent. As such, they are aiming to buy him out.

However, Beal must surrender about $14 million in salary for the Suns to adhere to the salary cap rules of the waive-and-stretch provision.

This could become a problem for the Suns, as Beal has an important date in his contract that might make any buyout a lot more complicated.

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Bradley Beal waiting for guaranteed $13 million payment before Phoenix Suns buyout

Marc Stein and Jake Fischer are reporting that Bradley Beal has been holding off on a Phoenix Suns buyout for one big reason.

This Tuesday, July 15th, the Suns will owe Beal a 25% advance payment on his 2025-26 NBA salary. This amount is estimated at $13 million. Beal is holding off on a buyout until he gets this payment.

“Why is Beal’s highly anticipated buyout from Phoenix and subsequent foray into free agency unfolding so slowly? The Stein Line has identified one potential snag.

” League sources say Beal’s current contract stipulates that he is owed a 25% advance payment on his 2025-26 salary on July 15. As in this coming Tuesday. The early payment is valued at more than $13 million.

“While sources say that Beal will ultimately receive that amount no matter how his eventual exit from the Suns plays out, it is believed that he could elect to wait for that payment to go through before proceeding with his departure from the desert.

Bradley Beal must remind NBA teams of his value

As things stand, Bradley Beal is undoubtedly one of the least desired contracts in the NBA. The amount he earns for the level of production he provides is incredibly lopsided.

Of course, Beal signed this contract when he was with the Washington Wizards. But that was when he was an All-Star and one of the leading scorers in the NBA.

Now, once his buyout is agreed, Beal must show some genuine hunger on his next team. His massive guaranteed salary and no-trade clause made him very complacent.

With this guaranteed salary no longer in his back pocket, Beal will have to prove his worth to teams. The new NBA salary cap has made things very difficult for players to get paid big sums without earning them.

Currently, the Clippers are the front-runners to land Bradley Beal as a free agent. However, the Lakers are also interested in Beal and could make a play for him.

Wherever Beal signs, he must be ready to play a role and show teams that he can still be a valuable contributor on a championship roster.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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