Suns' Bradley Beal must exercise his no-trade clause

In recent weeks, Bradley Beal's future has been in question. The 31-year-old, three-time All-Star has been pinpointed as a potential makeweight in a Jimmy Butler trade. Beal's average annual salary of $50M makes him an ideal candidate to match salaries with the Miami Heat star.

Unfortunately for the Suns, Beal holds a no-trade clause. As such, he would need to waive that clause in order to be tied into a deal for Butler. According to a report from The Athletic's Fred Katz, Sam Amick and Eric Nehm on Sunday, Beal has no intention of waiving his no-trade clause. His family is settled in Phoenix, and he doesn't want to uproot them.

"Beal owns a no-trade clause, which enables him to veto any deal, a power he is willing to wield. His first priority is his family, according to a source familiar with his thinking,” The trio reported. “Beal, his wife and two kids moved from Washington to Los Angeles and then full-time to Phoenix all in the past couple of years. A trade would mean either uprooting his two sons once again or leaving them to play elsewhere."

The NBA is a business, and franchises seldom show unwavering loyalty to a player. The Dallas Mavericks' trade of Luka Doncic is a prime example of how quickly situations can change. Beal is one of two players in the league with a full no-trade clause. He has every right to execute that clause and remain in his current situation. 

Of course, the Suns are not obligated to play Beal. However, they could make his life increasingly difficult, which would hinder their ability to contend for a championship. Phoenix knew what it was getting into when it acquired Beal from the Washington Wizards. The Suns knew that if things didn't work out, he could dig his heels in and see out the remaining years of his deal in Arizona.

In an era where a franchise player can be traded out of nowhere, Beal is smart to stand his ground. He controls his future. That type of security is incredibly rare in professional sports. Phoenix may not have traded Doncic, but it could be the first franchise to get punished for the move, and it starts with missing out on Butler.