The Phoenix Suns‘ 123-115 win Thursday over the Atlanta Hawks was just the third game off the bench since 2016-17 for $50 million guard Bradley Beal. Since the Suns benched both Beal and center Jusuf Nurkic on Monday, the heat has turned up on speculation surrounding trade plans and locker room atmosphere.
For his part, Beal has twice now scored an efficient, team-high 25 points following his relegation to reserve. Postgame, reporters asked him how he reacted when informed of his benching: “I literally just looked at Coach and said, ‘Ok.’
“I’m not going to argue,” Beal continued, “you made your decision. So it’s up to Coach.”
The 13th-year vet fielded questions with the utmost professionalism, but many of his answers suggest it has been a difficult transition to an undesirable role.
A Scapegoat for Phoenix Suns’ Failed Superteam
“Everything.” That was Beal’s response to what has changed for him coming off the bench. “My preparation is totally different now. It just is….Make sure that you’re ready to go by the time your name is called.”
Not just the words, but his tone as well conveys a strong, if resigned sense of dissatisfaction.
On the season, Beal is averaging 18.0 PTS, 3.2 REB, and 3.7 AST. He is shooting 49.3% from the floor and 39.2% from distance. Across the board, his numbers are similar to what he produced in 2023-24 in his first year in Phoenix.
Big picture, any drop off in Beal’s performance is but a small factor in the Suns’ struggles. His counting stats are naturally lower than during his Wizards career now that he shares the court with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. Lapses on defense, production at the center position, lethargic third quarters, and nightly consistency remain larger issues.
Detached from the Team, Bradley Beal Remains Dedicated to the Game
Reporters also asked Beal if there is a moment during the game when he feels the difference most. Lineup intros, the whistle at tip off?
His answer echoed his earlier sentiment: “Every moment. But again, I’m not gonna be a distraction, I’m not gonna be an asshole, I’m not gonna be unprofessional. I’m going to go out there and do my job, do what I’m asked to do.”
By distributing scoring duties more evenly among the big three, benching Beal is one way to improve the offensive flow. It doesn’t address the other fundamental problems. With Phoenix flopping to a 17-19 record thus far, it may just be an attempt to “change it up.”
A more cynical take is that the organization is trying to frustrate and embarrass Beal into waiving his no-trade clause. With the Suns emerging as frontrunners in the Jimmy Butler sweepstakes, he has been packaged into countless mock deals.
It isn’t just the move to the bench. It’s the sudden switch, and its failure to fix the team’s biggest bugaboos, amidst the growing discomfort of trade drama.
Beal certainly sounded like a man detaching himself from a franchise doing its best to make him feel unwelcome.
Well, This Is Awkward
Take a look at this video of the pregame huddle Thursday. At least one fan is already counting him out.
Bradley Beal is gone by the deadline. Look at this 😭😭😭😭 pic.twitter.com/eIN07LEydS
— Solo (@YT_Solo) January 10, 2025
If this is any indication of the locker room vibe, Beal may be more than happy to table his cards at showdown and accept a move to Miami. Why would he want to contribute to an organization that has ostracized him less than two years after begging him to come?
For Beal, the Suns’ Footprint Center is probably feeling less and less like home. His next day in the office comes Saturday when Phoenix hosts the Utah Jazz.
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