Post departure of future National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Famer Chris Paul, the rays of the Phoenix sun emerge from the horizon—providing a shimmer of hope.
As miserable as it is to see their captain depart for Washington, D.C., Suns’ Head Coach Frank Vogel welcomes a cog in the team’s championship bid in All-Star Bradley Beal. Packaged in a deal that sees Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks, and pick swaps to the Wizards, Beal’s no-trade clause stipulation allowed him to select his preferred destination come the 2023-24 season.
BREAKING: The Washington Wizards are finalizing a trade to send All-Star G Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns, sources tell ESPN. Beal’s waiving his no-trade to form a new Big 3 with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Teams are still working thru framework, but Beal is headed to Suns. pic.twitter.com/0lQrSh370q
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2023
Securing the veteran guard complements the offensive dynamic of Booker and Durant, providing a reliable wing option when creating space and making tough shots down the stretch.
The Larry O'Brien contender looks to utilize their talented man-in-the-middle, DeAndre Ayton, at the five, with Cameron Payne possibly filling in the gap in which CP3 once stood, with hopeful veteran additions to complement the starters.
Under new ownership, the Phoenix Suns place all their chips on the table in pursuit for their first NBA Championship. Injuries and bench depth repeatedly posed as a performance issue, though Beal may represent the missing piece to fortify its talented core.
