Bradley Beal and Clippers are a perfect match

Bradley Beal has agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Suns, and plans to sign a two year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. This makes this another key acquisition for the Clippers after the signing of center Brook Lopez a little less than month ago.

The addition of Beal fills a number of holes for the Clippers they didn't have last season.

Proven star

Despite Beal having his couple of average seasons with the Suns, he still played his role at a star level. In 106 games for the Suns, Beal averaged 17.6 ppg as a third option. In the NBA, there are players who are put on teams where they are asked to play certain roles to do what is best for the team even if it means sacrificing their individual games. 

Beal coming to the Suns was asked to take a backseat to one of the greatest scorers of all time Kevin Durant and the Suns franchise player Devin Booker. However, him taking a backseat, he not only showed a unique ability to score, but also to do it efficiently.

However, there is another role Beal was asked to play with his former team the Washington Wizards and that he was to be one of the best scorers in the NBA. 

From 2019-2021, he was a scoring champion averaging over 30 ppg in two separate seasons. That stat right there not only awarded him a scoring title but also a no trade clause which only 10 players in NBA history have received.

Back in 2018, the Wizards were in shambles after losing their lost franchise player John Wall to injuries which put the responsibility on Beal to carry the team. The only winning season the Wizards had after that was the 2020-21 season when they acquired Russell Westbrook for John Wall and that year they made the playoffs as the eighth seed. Since that point, the Wizards have been at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. However, Beal got the most out of that drought with three All-Star appearances, a scoring title, and playoff experience in a star role. All these components the Clippers definitely needed.

Playoff performer

The Clippers after losing former All-Star Paul George knew that they wouldn't be able to put in a player to replace his production. While Beal isn't George on the confines of an overall player, as explained, Beal can score with the best of them. The Clippers defense was raved about all throughout the season. However, the Clippers offense was bottom 15 in the NBA which is looked at as average to below average and that really showed in the post season against the Denver Nuggets.

The only player who was able to score over 20 ppg for the Clippers in the series was Leonard who averaged 25 ppg. Harden averaged 18 ppg, Ivica Zubac 17 ppg, and former guard Norman Powell 16 ppg. The Nuggets coaching mixed in with their star Duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray who both averaged 20 ppg scoring showed the Clippers that it takes more than good role players throughout the regular season to win at the highest level. The playoffs call for stars and playoff performers, and looking at Beal's history, he has been productive in the playoffs as a second scoring option.

Bradley Beal Playoff stats with Wizards

In 45 games in the playoffs with the Wizards, Beal has averaged 23.5 ppg, 4.6 rebs, and 3.8 assists. From 2013-2017, Wall and Beal both had the Wizards in the second round three years in a row. Prior to that, the Wizards hadn't made it out of the first round since 2004-2005 season. While that is not an NBA Championship, Beal has been exposed to playoff basketball in a star role multiple times and has performed at a high level. The Clippers lacked that component last season of playoff performers and role players.

Motivated to win

Beal is now at the age of 32 years old. This is about the time when teams' success overtakes individual accolades. Beal and the Suns came to an agreement on an amount that would be feasible for both sides. With that being said, going from 5 year/$251 million he signed back with the Wizards to now a 2 year/$11 million he plans to sign with the Clippers where he is still a borderline All-Star caliber player that can only point to wanting to win.

Beal has known what it feels like to be a big fish in a small pond. While the attention, fame, and lucrative contracts are present, there is another side of the coin where the defensive attention night after night and losing seasons take a Ware and tear on a player. The multiple 30 and 40 point games Beal had with the Wizards there was little to no smiling playing under a franchise that still has not figured out how to be competitive again.

When you have guys that are miserable even when they are achieving individual accolades that goes to show how much they will give all that up for an opportunity to win. The Clippers will provide that for him. A team that is elite defensively, but lacks scoring and playoff risers at the star level.

The main concern for Beal the last few seasons has been the amount of games he has played for the regular season. Well, when looking at the numbers of games played, from 2021-2025 each year where he missed games during the regular season, he was always available for the postseason. For the Clippers, it hasn't been about them having a good regular season, but a strong postseason team. 

In the NBA, where it's not uncommon for many stars to average around 60 games during the regular season year in and year out due to injuries or load management that seems to be more of a league thing than a Beal thing. That can be modified, as long as he is ready to go for the playoffs.

Since 2021, the Clippers for three seasons have not made it out the first round, and with Leonard being healthy for the 2025 playoffs there were definitely changes that needed to be made.