The name Bradley Beal is one that will bring a shudder to any Phoenix Suns fan, and it is fair to say that the franchise have done a great job from moving on from the disaster that was trading for him.
Now with the L.A. Clippers, the 32-year-old will unfortunately remain on Phoenix's payroll for years to come. Which is why trading into the first round of the NBA Draft to select Koa Peat was so important.
Suns could benefit from Kings waive-and-stretching DeMar DeRozan
Although the Clippers may never see the best of Beal, getting him on a two-year, $11 million deal at least made sense at the time. Great value for a former All-Star to come off the bench and give you 12-15 points a night while propping up the second unit.
Injuries to Beal mean that hasn't happened yet, but DeMar DeRozan likely getting waived-and-stretched by the Kings should interest the Suns. After all, aren't they trying to win around Devin Booker? Now 36-years-old, this could be a situation that benefits both player and team, for one season at least.
It is unclear what other franchise needs DeRozan and his midrange skills, while the Suns have benefitted from having two lethal scorers in Booker and Kevin Durant operating out of that area in the past.
DeRozan may never get another healthy payday ever again, but showcasing his skills in The Valley for one season off the bench while trying to help the Suns back to the playoffs could ensure a contender picks him up down the road.
The former Toronto Raptor is from California, and the idea of continuing to be so close to him may appeal to him as well.
If you're the Suns, what is the angle here? DeRozan would be a fine stopgap if the organization decides to trade Jalen Green, while his fit next to Booker is no worse than that of the former second overall pick. Both need a true point guard next to them to be effective, but DeRozan would likely be doing his best work off the bench anyway.
Dillon Brooks was their most consistent scorer in the postseason, and while having DeRozan occupy that role is far from ideal, he would help a roster that has limitations offensively while their youngers guys get reps in.
In any other year and for anything over the minimum this would be an obvious no for the Suns. But the situation might be just right for player and team to get the best out of each other for a small window, before going their separate ways.
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