Should the Rockets Pursue Bradley Beal?

Beal's tenure in Phoenix was underwhelming to say the least. When the trio of Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker joined forces in the 2023 offseason, many thought the Suns would contend for a championship with a supercharged offense. What followed was zero playoff wins, and Beal's two lowest scoring seasons since playing on his rookie contract.

A large amount of negativity surrounded the discourse around the Suns, both on and off the court, tarnishing Beal's reputation in turn. He may not be the 30 point per game scorer he once was, but there's no doubt he's still a plus player who can contribute in the right situation.

The case for the Rockets pursuing Beal

As the roster stands, the Rockets lack traditional guard depth, holding only Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard and Aaron Holiday in the backcourt. Amen Thompson and Durant certainly have their fair share of guard skills, but are likely better suited alongside other guards.

Adding Beal to the mix would be the perfect blend of an on and off-ball shooting threat, spacing the floor and providing spark scoring when needed. In 2024-2025, he shot 40.6 percent on 3.6 catch-and-shoot 3-pointers per game, proving capable in the area.

The Rockets struggles in the half-court offense were apparent in the first round playoff series against Golden State, and adding an elite scoring threat like Beal would help lighten the weight off the youngsters even more.

It would no doubt be Beal's smallest role of his career, but it'd be his best chance for a title. Paying Beal $50-plus million to be on a team is a tough ask, but paying him pennies on the dollar to be a reliable veteran is a no-brainer.

The case against pursuing Beal

What was also made apparent in the 2024-2025 season was Jalen Green and Cam Whitmore's clunky fits with the rest of the core – hence both young wings being traded this offseason. There's an argument to be made that Beal comes with a similar playstyle to both, and could get in the way of players like Reed Sheppard, Jabari Smith Jr. and more.

Beal's reputation around the league as an elite scorer comes with expectations, meaning he'd likely need a certain amount of shots per night to keep happy. That's reasonable for Beal, but may not be the best fit for the Rockets offense, as his shot volume could disrupt a flow.

If the Rockets were to get in a situation where Beal become unhappy with his role on the team, it would result in an avoidable problem to have en route to title contention.

The verdict

Houston should first target veterans more accustomed to playing smaller and flexible roles, similar to Aaron Holiday and Jae'Sean Tate. Remaining free agent guards include names like Malcom Brogdon, Alec Burks, Amir Coffey, De'Anthony Melton and more.

However, if the Rockets strike out on those guys, why not take a swing on Beal?