The first big trade of the NBA offseason has gone down, as Bradley Beal has been traded to the Phoenix Suns. Phoenix sent Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, second-round picks, and pick swaps.
Phoenix Suns
The three-time All-Star guard will now be a part of the big three in Phoenix with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. They also held onto Deandre Ayton, who is a talented center.
Beal averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists, shooting 50.6 percent from the field and 36.4 percent from three.
Beal is a highly talented guard that will add another elite offensive player to the mix. Durant, Booker, and Beal could be the best-scoring trio in the league next season. With Ayton on top of that, they will have an explosive and dynamic offense.
The Suns now have two questions to figure out this offseason after the Beal trade. Booker and Beal are shooting guards, so who will transition into a new position? Will they have Booker or Beal move to small forward? Or will they run Booker at point guard?
It will be intriguing to see what new head coach Frank Vogel will do with this star power.
The other question is: How will Phoenix add depth? The Suns have all the star power they need, but having depth in their rotation is crucial.
They will have to rely on players wanting to sacrifice money in pursuit of a championship, as they won't have the money to sign the top role players.
Beal solidifies the star core in Phoenix, and it will be interesting to see how they build out the rest of the roster.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards have finally moved on from their longtime star Beal. Beal has spent his entire career with Washington and signed a five-year $251 million contract last offseason.
The soon-to-be 30-year-old guard's contract is big, and the new front office wanted to get it off the books. While this isn't a typical return for a player of Beal's caliber, it gets them off the long-term contract.
They will have more money in the future, as they took on short-term contracts with Paul and Shamet. The Wizards also acquire some second-round picks and pick swaps.
Washington's new front office is taking the franchise in a new direction. Beal is the first domino to fall, and we will see their plan for Kristaps Porzingis and impending free agent Kyle Kuzma.
The NBA offseason has started with a bang. The Suns have solidified a big three with Beal joining the talented duo of Durant and Booker.
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