The Phoenix Suns should go all-in and target Bradley Beal
By Ryan Bawek
It feels like the Phoenix Suns are finally on the cusp of being a playoff team once again. A big star like Bradley Beal could put them over the edge.
The Phoenix Suns appear to have two budding stars on their roster in Devin Booker (who became an All-Star this season) and Deandre Ayton. They also have a very solid third option in Kelly Oubre and an elite complementary role player in Mikal Bridges.
Add in a solid starting point guard in Ricky Rubio and a group of rotating mid-career role players that know their NBA niche, and all of this should equate to a playoff-caliber team, even in the uber-competitive Western Conference moving forward.
Having said that, with the exception of both Devin Booker becoming an MVP-caliber player (he absolutely could and may be on his way) and Deandre Ayton becoming a perennial All-Star (which I think he can), it feels like the Suns are one more star level player away from being able to be a true championship contender with this core.
Could Kelly Oubre develop into that? Possibly.
Could Mikal Bridges become a poor man’s Scottie Pippen (ok homeless man’s) or Michael Cooper with a jump shot? He absolutely could.
Instead of banking on these developments and having a ceiling as a top-four team in the West, why not go all-in on adding a mid-career superstar like they did in 1992 for Charles Barkley?
Specifically, they should go all-in for Bradley Beal. Here’s why: