Latest news with #BradleyBeal
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Hawks Among Favorites to Land $251 Million 3-Time All-Star in NBA Trade
Hawks Among Favorites to Land $251 Million 3-Time All-Star in NBA Trade originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Atlanta Hawks could acquire an All-Star before the start of the 2025-26 NBA season. After the moves the front office made to build a competitive team around Trae Young and their young core, adding another star could push them to the next level. Advertisement Phoenix Suns star Bradley Beal is linked to the Hawks. According to Bovada, the Hawks are one of the favorites to land the three-time All-Star. Atlanta has +400 odds to be the next home of the star guard via a trade. The Washington Wizards, Milwaukee Bucks and Golden State Warriors are some of the other teams rumored to land the 6-foot-4 guard. Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) against Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3).Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images According to a recent report by Suns insider John Gambadoro, the team could trade Beal next. This followed after they traded All-Star forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. "There's a zero percent chance that Bradley Beal is back on this Suns team next year," the insider said. A trade for Beal might be difficult for any team. The former Washington Wizards star is on the fourth year of his five-year $251 million contract. On top of that, he's been through several minor injuries since his five-year deal started. Advertisement In the past three seasons, Beal has not reached the 60-game mark. The most games he played was 53, which was the amount games he played in each of the two seasons he's been with the Suns. Also, he's only averaged at least 20 points once since his maximum contract extension started. During his time in Phoenix, he's averaged 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds and 4.3 assists on 40.7% shooting from deep. Although he isn't the star that he once used to, Beal has still shown that he could be an All-Star from time to time. Related: Hawks Roster, Projected Starting Lineup After Kristaps Porzingis Trade This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 28, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kevin Durant's Time In Phoenix Likely To End Within 24–48 Hours
Kevin Durant's Time In Phoenix Likely To End Within 24–48 Hours originally appeared on Fadeaway World. After months of quiet tension and trade speculation, the Kevin Durant era in Phoenix is rapidly drawing to a close. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, a Durant trade is 'very close,' with Phoenix continuing to engage multiple teams in hopes of finalizing a blockbuster deal within the next 24 to 48 hours. Advertisement "A Kevin Durant deal is very close. Phoenix continues to work with multiple teams to get the deal they want, and I expect it will happen today or tomorrow." This marks the most significant development in the Durant trade saga since murmurs of a split began surfacing around the February trade deadline. Back then, the Suns were still within striking distance of playoff positioning and hoped their star trio of Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal could make a late push. But as the season crumbled and Phoenix finished a disappointing 11th in the Western Conference, missing the postseason entirely, the writing was on the wall. The championship window Phoenix had hoped to pry open with Durant slammed shut, and both parties quietly began working toward an exit. Initially, five teams emerged as potential suitors: the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs, Minnesota Timberwolves, Miami Heat, and New York Knicks. Among them, three were quickly identified as Durant's preferred long-term destinations: Houston, San Antonio, and Miami. These were the franchises Durant reportedly would be willing to commit to beyond his current contract. Advertisement At one point, the Spurs looked like the early frontrunners. Durant, according to Gambadoro's sources, viewed San Antonio, home to generational phenom Victor Wembanyama, as an ideal destination. The Spurs even prepared a potential offer featuring the No. 14 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and two young players. But Phoenix wasn't impressed. They rejected San Antonio's bid, signaling that they were aiming for a significantly higher return than the Spurs were willing to part with. From there, the Wolves made a push, despite reports that Durant had no interest in joining Minnesota. Their front office saw Durant as the perfect alpha to pair with rising superstar Anthony Edwards. An offer was even leaked, which included a mix of picks and rotation players, but Durant's lack of enthusiasm reportedly stalled negotiations. Sources around the league suggest the Wolves may have since exited the sweepstakes entirely, left confused by unclear direction. Advertisement Then came Houston. The Rockets have stockpiled assets over the past few seasons and were considered an ideal mix of win-now and future flexibility. For a moment, they and Durant shared mutual interest. However, Houston, like Masai Ujiri did with Kawhi Leonard years ago in Toronto, played the waiting game. They believed Phoenix had little leverage and could be pressured into a lesser deal. But the Suns stood firm, and a Houston offer was turned down as Phoenix continued demanding a premium. Miami, meanwhile, has been lurking throughout. Pat Riley and the Heat front office have made preliminary offers but have reportedly been unwilling to include prized young center Kel'el Ware, the No. 15th pick in the 2024 Draft. Ware is seen internally as a potential franchise cornerstone, and the Heat are reluctant to part with him even for a talent like Durant. Still, Miami remains in the hunt and could pivot at the last minute if the right framework materializes. Advertisement And then there's the Knicks, a team long linked to Durant, dating back to his 2019 free agency. Reports at the trade deadline suggested Durant was open to joining either the Celtics or the Knicks, but no formal offers ever surfaced. Since then, there has been little momentum out of New York, and unless something changes dramatically, the Knicks may remain more of a 'sleeper' than a serious threat in this chase. As it stands, Durant's departure from Phoenix now feels like a matter of 'when,' not 'if.' The Suns, already saddled with three massive contracts, are under immense pressure to reshape their roster around Booker while still remaining competitive. Shedding Durant's salary while recouping multiple assets, young players, picks, or both, is essential. Durant's time in the Valley has been marked by frustration more than triumph. Injuries, awkward fit alongside Booker and Beal, and a lack of depth sunk Phoenix's ambitions, and despite Durant averaging over 26 points per game in two seasons, the team never made it past the second round. Advertisement Now, with the Suns facing a pivotal offseason, it seems the end is imminent. And whether it's San Antonio, Miami, or a mystery team that swoops in at the eleventh hour, one thing is clear: Kevin Durant's final chapter in Phoenix is about to be written. Related: Kevin Durant's Next Destination: Ranking Spurs, Rockets, And Heat's Best Offers This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 22, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Suns Do Not Want Bradley Beal To Return Next Season
The Suns Do Not Want Bradley Beal To Return Next Season originally appeared on Fadeaway World. Bradley Beal's time in Phoenix may soon come to a bitter end, if the Suns have their way. According to Suns insider John Gambadoro, the franchise is actively looking to move on from the three-time All-Star. Advertisement "They do NOT want him back. But he is untradable and if he does not agree to a buyout they may be stuck with him... They 100% don't want him and are looking at how to get out." This bombshell confirms the growing suspicion that Beal has become a financial and strategic burden for a Suns team that failed to live up to expectations. Despite forming a supposed 'superteam' with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, the Suns missed the 2025 playoffs entirely and finished with the worst record among the NBA's top-five highest spenders. Their $362 million payroll, the most expensive in league history, including luxury taxes, ended in disaster. Beal's performance has not justified his massive price tag. In two seasons with the Suns, he has appeared in just 106 games, struggling with injuries and inconsistency. His numbers, 17.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game, are respectable but far from elite for someone making superstar money. Advertisement To make matters worse, he still has two years and over $110 million remaining on his contract, including a no-trade clause that effectively blocks Phoenix from sending him elsewhere without his approval. This no-trade clause is a major thorn in the Suns' side. It gives Beal near-total control over his future and was a stipulation that came with him from Washington, where he signed a five-year supermax deal before being dealt to Phoenix. No team wants to take on that kind of financial commitment for a player who's no longer viewed as a franchise cornerstone, especially with the luxury tax penalties tightening under the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement. The Suns have already attempted to move Beal. League sources confirmed the front office explored trade options ahead of last season's deadline, but there were zero serious takers. Now, the new head coach Jordan Ott faces the unenviable task of figuring out what to do with a player the franchise clearly no longer wants. Advertisement Gambadoro revealed that one of the first questions the Suns asked prospective head coaching candidates was, 'What would you do with Beal?' That alone shows the organization's desperation to turn the page. Kevin Durant's future also hangs in the balance. The Spurs, Rockets, Heat, and other teams have reportedly expressed interest in the 36-year-old, and the Suns may be open to dealing him for a reset. But unlike Beal, Durant still has market value. The only player Phoenix appears committed to building around is Devin Booker, whose talent and youth make him the lone cornerstone in a franchise otherwise teetering on a full-scale rebuild. Advertisement Unless Beal agrees to a buyout, which would cost the Suns tens of millions, Phoenix may be forced to keep a player they don't want, consuming a massive chunk of their cap with no clear path forward. For now, the Bradley Beal experiment in the desert stands as one of the biggest misfires in recent NBA history. Related: Four NBA Teams Will Pursue Bradley Beal If The Suns Buyout His Contract This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 5, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Suns Insider Claims Bradley Beal's Future Has Been Decided Following Kevin Durant Trade
Suns Insider Claims Bradley Beal's Future Has Been Decided Following Kevin Durant Trade originally appeared on Fadeaway World. The Phoenix Suns have finally completed the Kevin Durant trade, moving him to the Houston Rockets in return for Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks. While this kicks off the offseason of changes for the Suns, Suns insider John Gambadoro revealed that the moves are likely to involve Bradley Beal as the piece on the way out. While speaking with the "Kevin O'Connor Show", he said: Advertisement "There's even reports out there that the Suns are going to re-route Jalen Green, and I'm reporting that's not true. The Suns are plan is to keep Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks... It is all over social media right now that they're going to re-route Jalen Green; they're not. Their plan is to keep Jalen Green, and their plan is to keep the 10th pick." Gambadoro was among the first people who mentioned that any package from the Rockets would have to include Jalen Green and Jabari Smith Jr., adding that the mention of Green is counterintuitive since the Suns already have Beal and Devin Booker. But the insider was also quick to deny any rumors of Green being on the way out. Thus, he followed these comments up by saying: "They need to let go of a lot of players who were on the team last year. They've got to replace them with younger, cheaper options, because they're still above the second apron - they're going to get under it. The goal is to get under the second apron. I believe they will get under the second apron, and I do think Beal is going to be gone, and that can help a lot." The mention of Beal in this context primarily aids the Suns' effort in shedding salary and coming under the second luxury tax apron. Considering how top-heavy the team was, with Durant, Booker, and Beal, the Suns find themselves in a tricky situation this offseason. Advertisement Beal is one of the most difficult contracts to trade. Last season, the guard averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. While these are relatively solid numbers, considering Beal's cap hit of $53.6 million next million, it is a massive overpay. The additional trouble with Beal's contract is that he has a no-trade clause, implying that he can veto any trade unless he wants to be traded. This makes it very challenging for Phoenix to negotiate any dealings for the 3x All-Star, especially considering his desire to run it back with the side. The only option that remains is structuring a buyout in this case. But offloading the Suns' guard could be a much better alternative for Phoenix in the long run. With another major contract coming off the books, the Suns can start rebuilding around young, talented players on significantly cheaper contracts. The addition of Jalen Green isn't as much of a negative in this regard. The 23-year-old recorded an average of 21.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. While his performances in the playoffs were less than awe-inspiring, the guard has a lot of room to grow. Advertisement Although it is beneficial to have an outright bucket-getter as a second option, the team will be in dire need of a point guard and a big man to complete their starting rotation. But with the offseason now in full swing, the Suns can begin constructing their roster for next season. Related: Grade The Trade: Who Won The Blockbuster Kevin Durant To Rockets Deal? This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 23, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
After a lottery gut punch, the Wizards pivoted, solidly, with first-rounder Tre Johnson
Every NBA team — every single one — needs a guy who can put the ball in the basket. Every team needs a Jamal Murray. Or a Devin Booker. And, at the top of that food chain, a Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Tre Johnson, taken sixth in a draft that started in gut-wrenching fashion for the Washington Wizards six weeks ago at the lottery in Chicago, finally gets Washington back into that space, almost two years to the day since the Wizards traded Bradley Beal. Johnson is the best shooter in the 2025 draft. And he'll be the Wizards' best young two guard since Washington took Beal third in the 2012 draft. That is pretty good triage for the gaping emotional wound of watching their Cooper Flagg/Dylan Harper dreams perish last month. Advertisement And, for a team still hip-deep into a yearslong rebuild, Tre Johnson — who just turned 19 in March — is both a positional and timeline fit for a still-achingly young core group. Illinois wing Will Riley, taken 21st by the Wizards after they moved back from 18 in a trade with the Utah Jazz, is 19. Bub Carrington turns 20 in a few weeks, five days before Bilal Coulibaly turns 21. Alex Sarr is 20. Kyshawn George will be 22 in December. A.J. Johnson, acquired from the Milwaukee Bucks in the Kyle Kuzma deal, is 20. Justin Champagnie, the senior citizen of the group, is 23. (At 26, Corey Kispert qualifies for Medicare.) A lot — a lot — of Wizards fans wanted Ace Bailey at six, or at five, four or three; whatever Washington had to do to get him. I get it. Bailey's a big name and a big talent. And he could well become a superstar in this league. A lot of others wanted the Wiz to stay local and take Maryland's Derik Queen at six. Which, again, I get. Queen can play. You can run an offense through him. But Utah took Bailey with the fifth pick, one spot ahead of Washington. And, at any rate, neither Bailey nor Queen provides what the Wizards say they value most: positional length and defensive flexibility. If Bailey were actually 6-10, as he'd been advertised to be through his one season at Rutgers, that would be different. He would tower over most wings in the league. But he measured 6-7 1/2 at the Chicago combine. That's still good size. But not difference-making. And Queen, to put it charitably, doesn't provide much defensive presence. Tre Johnson is 6-4 3/4, with a 6-10 3/4 wingspan — the same wingspan as 6-8 1/4 guard Egor Demin, taken two picks later in the first round by the Brooklyn Nets. That is very good size and length for a projected NBA two guard. And Johnson fills a needed position for Washington. Until this week, the Wizards didn't have much perimeter backcourt shooting other than Jordan Poole. And Poole is no longer here. (Yes, Kispert plays some two, but ideally, he's a wing.) Now, Washington will have Tre Johnson, and CJ McCollum, a career .397 shooter from deep, at the two. Tre Johnson's checkin' in with our D.C. fam for the first time 📲 — Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) June 26, 2025 'Tre, when you look at how well he shot off the dribble, and as well as off the catch … that's impressive, at his size,' general manager Will Dawkins said after Round 1. 'I think, pound-for-pound, (he's) if not the best shooter, then one of the best shooters in the draft. But that's not his only skill. He's someone that can make plays, and make plays for others.' Advertisement Still, Tre Johnson's not a great defensive player right now. That might be what he was talking about Wednesday night, as he recalled his pre-draft meeting with Washington. Early, and often, Dawkins showed his pick-to-be plays that Johnson, by his own admission, took off in college. 'It was, really, Will just talking to me about the kind of player I want to be,' Johnson said. Washington is getting a knockdown shooter, the SEC's Rookie of the Year and an all-conference selection. At 18 during most of the season, Johnson led a Power 4 conference in scoring (19.9 ppg), shot nearly 40 percent from deep overall and almost 41 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s. That came on high usage (29.3 percent) in Austin, which won't be the case with the Wizards. Also, he will have to get better at putting the ball on the deck. But, post-Poole, the Wizards expect and hope to spray the ball around more. This isn't a diss of Poole. He was the only guy who could go get a bucket last season. And off the swing-swing pass, Johnson should make defenses pay. 'During the workout, we'd throw him in positions, on offense, plays that we run, and see how quickly he picks up on it. And the guy's a sponge. He has a high IQ,' Dawkins said. One can appreciate what Poole did last season in Washington — genuinely. He was a great teammate. He was a much more efficient player on offense. He shot a very good percentage, considering he was the one guy on the team who could get his own shot, and every opponent knew it. He gave much better and more consistent effort on defense. But the Wizards needed to move him. That they were able to do so and take two expiring contracts back in McCollum and Kelly Olynyk was an especially deft work of future cap management. The reasoning is simple. Washington can't depend, anymore, on ping-pong balls. Advertisement Its quickest path to rebuilding the roster, it hoped, would be taking top-three picks in 2025 and 2026. The first part of that plan went up in flames. The Wizards certainly are planning to be a bottom-eight team in 2025-26, to keep their first-round pick. But they can't count, anymore, on hoping that they'll be bad enough to get one of AJ Dybantsa or Darryn Peterson or Cameron Boozer, the expected-for-now top three picks in '26. They have to have a Plan B to improve the roster further next year. By moving Poole now, rather than a year from now, they're in position to potentially clear something close to $100 million in cap space next summer. It will almost certainly not be $100 million. But, at minimum, the Wizards will have ample space — in excess of $50 million to $60 million, at least — to take in a bad contract from a team, or teams, that will be looking to get out of second apron hell. The Boston Celtics pulled the trigger this offseason by moving Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday. The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Orlando Magic are among teams that will have similarly hard roster decisions after next season. The Denver Nuggets' governor, Josh Kroenke, even volunteered the unthinkable the other day: discussing how the second apron and unforeseen circumstances could, hypothetically, force the Nuggets to have to trade Nikola Jokić. (Hey, can you resuscitate an entire fan base with just one tank of oxygen?) The Wizards, now, don't have to depend on lottery luck next year. They can hotwire their roster by being able to take an expensive, but talented, player that better teams can no longer afford. But until then, the Wizards will take their lumps. Again. But now, it's all in with the kids. Carrington, Tre Johnson and A.J. Johnson in the backcourt — though McCollum, as long as he's here, certainly will get minutes. George, Coulibaly, Kispert, Champagnie and Riley on the wings — though Khris Middleton, as long as he's here, certainly will get minutes, and would probably start. Sarr will play the middle — though Olynyk, as long as he's here, will get some minutes. And it's time to take the training wheels off. I suspect Marcus Smart will not be on the roster opening night. There just isn't any point, for him or the team, to spend any more time here. And there are too many teams (the Dallas Mavericks, the Sacramento Kings — and, now, unfortunately, the Indiana Pacers) that could use a veteran floor general. I don't know that a lot of Middleton makes a whole lot of sense, either, but get that he might have to show other teams, at least up until the trade deadline, that he's healthy again. Advertisement For sure, Washington has to find out whether Coulibaly can get through a season without breaking down, and if he can make enough 3s to really be a part of this team's future. Time to see whether Sarr can take a big jump in Year 2. Time to see whether A.J. Johnson can be a real change-of-pace scorer off the bench. But, most importantly, it's time to give Carrington the ball for 30-34 minutes a night and see what you have. Time to see what a Carrington-Tre Johnson backcourt can really do for 24-28 minutes a night, with McCollum filling in at both guard spots and mentoring, something he did to great effect while with the New Orleans Pelicans. This is Washington's backcourt of the future. 'We feel confident where Bub has the ball,' Dawkins said. 'And we want to make sure that we're playing a style where everybody touches it. But he's going to take a step this summer. He's been in the gym, with Ky, with Alex, with Justin, with A.J. These guys have been back since May 1. It's pretty impressive, the work they've been putting in. And they're ready for the challenge and ready for more opportunity.' Dawkins and president of Monumental Basketball Michael Winger have had three drafts to show what they value in young players, and who they think has the kind of upside to take early in the first round. It's time to find out whether they're right.
