Suns Have Bradley Beal Expectation After Kevin Durant Move

Phoenix tried trading Beal at the trade deadline but he was unwilling to waive his no-trade clause and he also did not receive a ton of interest from other teams due to his poor season and injury history.

Because of this, the Suns may be stuck with Beal again next season and they have clear expectations for the 31-year-old guard with Durant likely off the roster.

“There is likewise some hope within the Suns that moving Durant could possibly present Beal with more offensive opportunity to produce in a manner you'd expect from a player with that sort of contract,” Fischer wrote. “As The Stein Line has previously reported, various candidates considered during the Suns' recent coaching search were asked how they would try to get the best out of Beal if he remained a Sun.”

While the Suns are reportedly hoping that Beal will be able to improve offensively next season without Durant, that may not be the case, especially due to his poor fit next to Booker.

Beal was moved to the bench this season due to his poor fit in the starting lineup and with his struggles since joining the Suns in 2023, it is likely that he will not give Phoenix what they expect from a player making the salary that he is.

Despite this, Beal could benefit from Durant’s potential departure but there is no doubt that the Suns need him to play at a higher level next season if they elect to keep him.