The first season of the Bradley Beal experience with the Phoenix Suns has been... something. Although the Suns were lauded for turning an aging Chris Paul into a 30-year-old All-Star last offseason, the reality of Beal hasn't quite matched up to the expectation.
There was a belief that Beal and Devin Booker could play together - meaning the team didn't have and wouldn't need a traditional point guard - but Beal's health ensured that experiment got off to a difficult start. There were back issues to start the campaign, followed by a broken nose and problems with Beal's knee and hamstring.
On top of not being able to play - Beal is owed over $160 million over the next three seasons - and one media personality has revealed the Washington Wizards were relieved to get Beal off their books.
Not that the Wizards put that cap space to good use, instead taking on Jordan Poole and his four-year, $128 millon deal. The first year of which has only just passed, and with Poole having become one of the most picked on players in the entire league.
Returning to Beal though, and the much respected David Aldridge - now of The Athletic - was recently on The Right Time with Bomani Jones, and he brought up the surprising piece of information that the Wizards were only too happy when the Suns came asking about Beal last summer.
"Somebody said we think you are a max player in this league, and that’s on them. Washington will never cop to this, but they were very relieved when that (Phoenix) deal got done. Not because Brad is a bad dude... I just think he's overpaid as a basketball player that's all. It makes it difficult to build a championship team around him."David Aldridge on Bradley Beal
What the Wizards likely knew then are what the Suns found out this season, and that is that there are limits to how good your team can be if Beal is an important part of it. Partly because he will now always miss time through injury, but also because the figure beside his name makes it hard to add meaningful depth around him.
Phoenix Suns Big 3 of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal make latest Shaqtin' A Fool.
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) April 26, 2024
Suns down 2-0 to Minnesota Timberwolves. Game 3 Friday at Footprint Center. @NBAonTNT . pic.twitter.com/FomQNZaoLA
That's not all on Beal however - Booker and Kevin Durant are on max contracts as well - but you can more easily make the case that they are max players. It's great for Beal that he got all that money, but the Suns will be paying him $57 million the year after Durant's current contract expires.
Aldridge did go on to make some fair points in defense of Beal, including the fact he's not a point guard, signed the deal that was put in front of him like everybody else would and that Booker plays the same position as him. He also does so at a better and more consistent rate, and will always be the guy as long as he is in Phoenix.
But the reality of trading for Beal looks like it is now setting in for the organization. They have no real way of getting better this summer outside of trading Durant - because even if some are already making the suggestion - the Suns won't trade Booker unless he asks for that to happen. Beal has a no-trade clause, so he is going nowhere either.
Would the Suns do this differently if they had the chance? There weren't many players on similar money to Paul, and you could see the logic at the time. The reality has been different though, and it may be about to get a lot worse in The Valley before it gets better. A potentially depressing offseason awaits.