Bradley Beal recently stated that he joined the LA Clippers to win an NBA Championship and sees it as a new lease on his NBA life, and unfortunately for Phoenix Suns fans, that’s enough of a quote to make them start pulling their hair out. Had things worked out in Phoenix, he should have been able to help them win a title, but the organization just wasn’t using their brains.
Despite how things ended with the Suns, Beal is still a solid NBA player. He was just a terrible fit in Phoenix. And by the end of his tenure with the team, it was painfully clear that his relationship with the Suns, and their fanbase, in particular, was at a point of no return.
Now, he’s heading to LA to do what he was supposed to do in Phoenix.
What went wrong with Bradley Beal and the Suns?
“I need a ring,” Beal told Tamar Sher of KMOV during a recent interview. He also added, “I feel like I’ve got a new life of rejuvenation for sure, a new hunger.”
Those two quotes alone could ignite a few different sets of emotions in Suns fans. But mostly, there’s anger: “This guy couldn’t help the Suns win, but now he’s hungry again?”
Yet most of the frustrations that are likely seeping out of Suns fans’ pores right now are being directed in the wrong place. People are upset with Beal, but they should really be upset with the organization.
With Devin Booker and Kevin Durant already in place, the Suns could have kept Chris Paul or tried to build out the roster, adding role players that would complement the skill sets of their two stars.
Instead, they went big-name chasing. They wanted Beal. They traded Paul and their entire future for a guy who does the exact same thing as the two guys they already had on board.
The result was an unmitigated disaster that got drawn out over the course of two painful years, got multiple coaches fired, and turned an entire fanbase against Beal.
Now, Beal is ready to roll with his new team, and they are a much better fit for what he can add. They have great passers, elite defenders, and one of the most underrated big men in the NBA.
All Beal has to do is score the ball and play his role perfectly.
So, while Suns fans may be annoyed to hear how excited Beal is for the new opportunity that’s in front of him, they should be directing their annoyance elsewhere.