Suns guard Bradley Beal is not amenable to waiving his no-trade clause to be moved to the Bulls, a source tells Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Chicago has reportedly held conversations with Phoenix about the idea of acquiring Beal to help facilitate a Suns trade for embattled Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler. On Monday, the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals MVP was suspended by Miami for the third time this year.
Because the Heat have no interest in taking on salary beyond 2025/26, Katz notes, a third team seems needed to land Butler with Phoenix All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, creating a new “Big Three” of formidable veterans.
Two-time All-Star Chicago wing Zach LaVine‘s $43MM salary would have made him a clear financial fit in a hypothetical three-team deal, though he is under contract for two more seasons after this one and may not have appealed to Miami for that reason.
Things have not gone according to plan for the Suns this season. Day-one starters Beal and Jusuf Nurkic have both been demoted to the bench, and the club has struggled in the Western Conference under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. Nurkic is no longer in Budenholzer’s rotations at all, while Beal is the club’s sixth man. Phoenix is currently 23-21 on the year, good for the No. 7 seed in the West.
Katz reports that, despite his lack of interest in joining the Bulls, Beal would be open to being dealt away from the Suns, provided he is sent to a “winning team.” He also finds cold-weather destinations less appealing, Katz adds. The Bulls, being in such a climate and also sporting a sub-.500 record (19-27), are not among trade destinations Beal would approve.
Across 31 healthy games this year, the 6’4″ guard is averaging 17.2 points per night on an efficient slash line of .485/.396/.764.
The 31-year-old is owed $160MM across this season and the next two. Beal, who has not made an All-Star team since his Wizards-era prime, is one of just two players in the NBA with a full no-trade clause, along with 21-time All-Star Lakers forward LeBron James.
I wouldnt be either lol
Why don’t the Pistons hop in here?
Why WOULD the pistons hop in here?
Draft capital
The massive amount of draft picks that Beal will have to bring with him. Pistons need a veteran like Beal.
He has a no trade clause. That’s the issue. Do you think he doesn’t want to live in Chicago but would happily live in Detroit?
this situation is a mess lmaoo
Oh no, anyways.
Beal forcing Miami to accept him???
This is a mess. Pat Riley‘s going to write a $50 million check to Jimmy Butler next summer just to go away lol.
I know that he would be totally against that so what’s the alternative? Including a first round pick with Butler?
I guess that’s cheaper than 50 mil but wow, they have to give draft capital to get Jimmy out of town because there is nowhere for him to go?
Wow it sure will be tough for Riles to dip into his pocket for that. Jimmy’s gonna win here and Pat Riley is going to lose.
Think you got it backwards. Jimmy is already losing on the suspensions, and if he opts in, he’s going to keep dogging it and keep getting suspended. That’s what Riley is hoping for (if Jimmy doesn’t opt out), and that’s probably what happens.
I guarantee he doesn’t dog it from February 7 forward.
He’s no dummy. He’ll give up a few million to get out of town but he’s not stupid.
We’re talking model citizen, play well, get paid 50 million next year. No suspensions, cash money in the bank.
Dave, in today’s world, the employee always wins.
Riley definitely can’t hope for Jimmy Butler dogging it. That makes zero sense.
Even if I’m working in a coal mine in Alaska and can’t breathe or see, I’ll show up every day at 6 AM and get my $50 million. I’ll just have a better mask and goggles than the rookie beside me lol.
Riley MUST trade Jimmy by February 6. MUST. You might want to take a screenshot of this. MUST.
If you wait till the summer this season is a total wash for the Heat, with a guy playing three-quarter speed yet enough to not get suspended.
As I said above, model citizen. And it’ll be just as difficult to trade Jimmy Butler 50 million this summer as it is right now. It’s probably easier now because he hasn’t opted in yet !! There’s a slight chance the suns or the Lakers or whoever trades for him, extends three more years at a little less annual than his opt in?
If it were that easy to avoid paying guys, like 25% of the league would be suspended at any given time.
Can someone explain to me why a 1 for 1 trade Beal for Butler wouldn’t work? Is it money, length of contract, etc.? Thanks!
MIA doesn’t want Beal’s contract, simple as that. I don’t blame em
You would think they would want Beal’s contract more than Butler’s at this point.
Butler’s contract expires sooner. Miami can definitely count on using cap space to sign marquee free agents in a way few teams can.
I wouldn’t count on the Heat having the ability to sign marque free agents. Players see what’s going on with Butler and what went on with LeBron. They’re not stupid.
I can only see him waiving it if he has a guaranteed starting role. It appears he wants to “win” or be competitive, but the Suns aren’t with him so… I don’t know if he realizes but his career could end up looking like John Walls end, just being told to go home, or he can play ball and agree to a trade.
Thank god, he just saved this terribly inept and idiotic bulls FO from doing something unthinkably stupid.
Suns with a good win over Clippers. Richards another solid gm. What will Suns do at TD.
Beal 33 mins, 9 points ………
Williams to Cavs …………
Why not
Magic get Beal and picks
Suns get Caldwell Pope, Harris, and Anthony
Beal gets dealt to someone winning in the East, a warm climate in Orlando and should help with scoring along side Franz Banchero Suggs Beal Carter Jr/Wagner/Bitadze
Suns then can reroute those guys Anthony Harris and Caldwell Pope plus picks to Miami for Butler
Figure out the rest but financially it works and everyone seems to benefit
Suns get Butler to go with Durant and Booker
Miami gets rid of butler picks up two rotational pieces in Anthony and Caldwell Pope plus picks I think they cut Harris
Magic pick up a scoring piece, which they sorely miss with Wagner Banchero Suggs missing time, in Beal. Plus opens up more playing time for more recent draft picks in Black and Howard.
I like it. I’m actually taking a screenshot of THIS ^ lol
That’s a lot to ask of Orlando, but why not?
In theory this trade to Orlando, works if all the money flows, Heat would be to guard heavy, they may not want Caldwell pope for another 3 years… or maybe they take him and move him immediately. They would have 7 guards on the roster….. not enough minutes to go around…
Maybe they re-route Anthony to Toronto for Olynyk and some draft capital? The $ works.
I’m not interested in having Beal on the Bulls.
Do any of you understand Beal has two yrs after this one. And 110 mill owed. Why would anyone want that. Plus Beal has a no trade clause.
I can’t see Beal going anywhere. Till next years TD 2026.
It doesn’t matter what MIA wants, whatever someone wants to give them they will have to take it and be grateful!
Seriously, who cares what MIA wants!
Pels skittles take him.
Bulls aren’t great but Beal is not a good anymore,injury prone. All that money for bench player, so yeah the feelings to me are mutual
Yes exactly. Why would the Bulls want anything to do with Beal? Loved watching Beal say five years ago but at age 31 with $53 million for next season and $57 million the year after that, will be very hard to trade. Suns and Beal should somehow try to make the best of their situation.
Why would anyone want Beal and that contract at this point? Not real sure how he would even fit in with the Bulls Plans, although who knows what the hell they are doing anyway.