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Adrian Wojnarowski, Senior NBA Insider
The Washington Wizards are finalizing a trade to send three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns for a package expected to include Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, several second-round picks and a picks swap, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
The deal could take a few days for the full framework to be completed, but Beal is on his way to the Suns to form a new Big 3 with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, sources said.
Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports, confirmed to ESPN that a framework is in place that will land Beal with the Suns.
“This was an extremely complicated process with so many different hurdles to get through, and Ted Leonsis and Michael Winger were unbelievable partners in making this happen,” Bartelstein told ESPN. “From the day that Ted drafted Brad he has been by our side along with [former general managers] Ernie Grunfeld and Tommy Sheppard. They’ve always had Brad’s back in every way and now we have experienced the exact same thing with Ted and Michael Winger. We are extremely grateful.”
Beal is lifting his no-trade clause to accommodate the deal to a Suns franchise that has now realized a top-heavy roster of talent and salary. Beal will join Booker, Durant and Deandre Ayton — four max contracts together with a looming collective bargaining agreement designed to severely limit the roster flexibility of teams above the second apron of luxury tax at $117 million. It is the ultimate all-in play for the Suns to chase a championship.
The arrival of Beal and the $207 million left on his contract projects the Suns to be a second-apron team for at least the next three years, which will leave them largely reliant on minimum contracts to fill out the roster.
Suns leadership along with the team’s key players were relentless in recent days selling Beal on Phoenix as a destination to fulfill his championship hopes, sources said.
Owner Mat Ishbia has made a massive commitment to salary and luxury tax on the Beal and Durant deals to pursue a title in the coming seasons. The Suns will have $163 million in salary committed to Booker, Durant, Beal and Ayton for the 2023-2024 season.
Bartelstein worked closely with Winger on navigating a deal with Phoenix in recent days, talks that included conversations with several teams, sources said. Beal’s no-trade clause proved to be limiting in the options that Washington had in the marketplace to negotiate a return on the deal.
The Wizards will be unloading the final four years and $207 million of Beal’s contract, clearing the way for Winger to reshape the roster after the franchise missed the playoffs in four of the past five years — all of which included losing seasons. The Suns had no first-round draft picks available to include in the deal because of the Brooklyn Nets‘ control of them from the Kevin Durant deal.
After 11 years with the Wizards — who drafted him No. 3 overall in 2012 — Beal is nearing 30 years old and agreed with Winger that the franchise is without a quick-fix route to contention.
Once the Beal trade is completed, the Suns will have made two blockbuster trades in the past several months under Ishbia, including the Durant deal.
After completing the first season of a five-year, $251 million contract, Beal’s standing as the NBA’s only current player to have a no-trade clause negotiated into his deal gave him the ability to control not only possible destinations, but how a potential package to acquire him impacted his new supporting cast.
Beal’s no-trade clause will convey with him to the Suns.
Leonsis gave Winger full autonomy on whether he wants to pursue a rebuild with the Wizards or continue a trajectory around high-priced veteran talent. The Wizards are awaiting player-option decisions on forwards Kyle Kuzma and Kristaps Porzingis, who both can become unrestricted free agents.
Beal averaged 23.2 points on a career-best 51% shooting in an injury-plagued 50 games last season. For his career, he’s averaged 22.1 points — including back-to-back seasons of 30.5 points and 31.3 points from 2019 to 2021.