- The Phoenix Suns and Washington Wizards completed a blockbuster trade to send Bradley Beal to Phoenix and Chris Paul to Washington.
- Beal has been involved in trade rumors dating back to 2018. The Wizards signed him to a five-year max deal last year.
- The Suns’ odds to win the NBA title in 2024 improved on the news of the trade for Beal.
The Phoenix Suns added more firepower to their roster following a second-round Playoff exit against the Denver Nuggets this postseason.
Bradley Beal is off to the desert to team up with Kevin Durant after switching spots with Chris Paul. Now, the Suns have the third-best odds to win the NBA title next year with +600 odds, while the Wizards are tied for the worst at +20000.
Prior to the blockbuster deal, the Suns were +900 to win the championship. With that in mind, oddsmakers and the betting public are putting a lot of stock into this trade. The shift in the odds suggests they believe that Beal makes the Suns a much more dangerous squad.
Since the season ended for the Suns, Paul has been mentioned in trade discussions. He sustained a groin injury in Game 2 of the Western Conference Semifinals against the Nuggets. Paul would never return to the lineup, and he won’t be on the floor with the Suns next year.
Paul leaves the Suns after spending three years in Phoenix. His production has been slipping since his first season with the Suns in 2020-21.
The veteran point guard averaged 16.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 8.9 assists in his first season. In 2022-23, Paul scored 13.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 8.9 assists per game, while only playing in 59 games. As Paul has gotten older, durability has been a concern for the 38-year-old.
Bradley Beal is forming a new Suns’ Big 3 with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker pic.twitter.com/Klz1wmUVLQ
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2023
Beal Finally Traded Following Years of Rumors
As soon as everyone started to forget about a Beal trade, a deal was announced out of the blue with the Suns. We knew the Suns were shopping Paul, but many people did not expect it to involve Beal.
For roughly five years, Beal has almost been rumored to go to every team in the NBA. In 2018, Adrian Wojnarowski discussed how Beal might be on the chopping block alongside John Wall. Wall was dealt to the Houston Rockets in 2020, but Beal remained with the Wizards.
In 2022, Beal inked a five-year $251,019,650 contract with the Wizards. Despite not being thrilled about playing in Washington on a losing team, Beal was able to secure a lucrative deal. On the Suns, he is being paid while playing for an NBA title contender.
Beal lands in a fairly good situation in Phoenix. The trade enables Beal to play alongside the best players in his career. He, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant should give teams a tough defensive matchup. Durant is coming off another fantastic campaign in the NBA.
Durant, Beal, and Booker Form the Suns’ Big 3
Durant played in 39 games for the Brooklyn Nets last season. Due to injuries, he was only able to suit up in eight games for the Suns. When Durant was active, the Suns played terrific basketball.
The Suns went 8-0 with Durant on the floor during the regular season. Durant averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists. As has been the case for Durant in his career, he was efficient with a 57% field goal percentage and 53.7% from three.
While the Suns ended up failing in the Playoffs, they were having some success with Durant. Adding another efficient scorer to the mix with Durant and Booker is what the Suns believe will elevate the team.
However, it will come at a cost. The Suns are deep into the luxury tax, and essentially pushing all of their chips into the pot.
The Phoenix Suns are paying Ayton, Durant, Booker and Beal $163M next season.
This puts them in the luxury tax without even having a 5th player in the starting lineup 😳 pic.twitter.com/croel9dVlz
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) June 19, 2023
Booker is coming off yet another productive campaign with the Suns. He set a new career high with a 49.4% field goal percentage in 2022-23. Additionally, Booker recorded 27.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game.
Paul did his best to help put the Suns in a position to win a championship. However, Beal is only 29 years of age and has a lot more to offer at this stage in his career. Beal is a dynamic player that will help on both ends of the floor.
On a below-average Wizards squad, Beal still managed to average 23.2 points on 50.6% shooting. He also chipped in with 3.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game. The Suns are getting a player that can still contribute positively.
Depth is going to be the question mark with this team. Do the Suns have a strong enough bench to win a championship in 2024? It is worth considering before betting on the Suns to win at +600.
Chris Paul Could Be Bought Out By Wizards
If the Wizards decide to buy out Paul, he will have the option of signing on any team. The Los Angeles Lakers are the frontrunners to sign Paul if this comes to fruition. Paul spent six years of his career in Los Angeles with the Clippers from 2011 to 2017.
This might hinge on LeBron James returning to the Lakers for the 2023-24 season. According to James, he is currently contemplating retirement from the NBA. The popular consensus is that James will be back with the Lakers next season, though.
Paul will not be asked to be a significant contributor for the Lakers. However, his experience and the depth he provides the Lakers can’t hurt at the right price. Currently, the Lakers have +1400 odds to win the 2023-24 NBA Championship.
