Clippers add another veteran rehabilitation project to roster

Bradley Beal gave up nearly $14M in a buyout from the Phoenix Suns to join the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11M contract. That's the most the Clippers could pay Beal next season, though the three-time All-Star has a player option for 2026-27.

The move to Los Angeles seemed likely after the Clippers traded incumbent shooting guard Norman Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal that brought in John Collins, clearing a spot for Beal. In addition, the Clippers have excelled in giving veterans who've fallen from their old superstar levels a chance to contribute and rebuild their value.

Last season, the Clippers added Ben Simmons after the Brooklyn Nets bought out the three-time All-Star. Simmons provided defense and ball handling off the bench, averaging 3.1 assists and 0.7 steals in just 16.4 minutes per game. He even shot 85.7% on his free throws, long an issue for the oft-injured Simmons.

The Clippers also got a great season out of Kris Dunn, a former No. 5 pick who played just 40 games from 2020-23. Dunn started 58 of 74 games for the Clippers last season and only the NBA's new playing time rules kept him off the All-Defensive team.

It's become a trend. The Clippers like to pick up talents when their perceived value is at a low point. They traded for 34-year-old James Harden after his impasse with the Philadelphia 76ers and were rewarded with an All-NBA season in 2024-25. Russell Westbrook signed after the Los Angeles Lakers dumped him at the trade deadline in 2023 and spent 2023-24 as a valuable bench piece, remaking himself into a defensive stopper.

Perhaps it's the veteran nature of the Clippers, who were built around Kawhi Leonard and previously, Paul George. It may be that coach Ty Lue excels at finding lineups and roles for these players that the league no longer values. It may be that playing for free-spending owner Steve Ballmer in Los Angeles at the luxury team facilities of the new Intuit Dome is appealing, especially when a player has already received a buyout.

It doesn't always work. Former No. 1 pick John Wall started strong but ended terribly when the Clippers signed him in 2022 after he was bought out by the Houston Rockets. Still, the Clippers overall track record rehabilitating veterans is excellent.

That's why it's easy to be optimistic about Beal. His biggest weakness is defense, which is covered by his new team's array of quality defenders (Dunn, Leonard, Ivica Zubac, Derrick Jones, Jr.). Beal's big strength, shooting, is desperately needed by the Clippers, as the team took the second-fewest three-pointers last season.

Plus, he's in the place where stars get rejuvenated. If this trend continues, Beal will easily make up whatever he lost in a buyout on his next contract and the Clippers could be a fearsome team.