"Why are they trading Book?" - Bradley Beal reveals he was shocked when Phoenix came into play

Bradley Beal in disbelief Suns are an option even without trading Devin Booker
Bradley Beal in disbelief Suns are an option even without trading Devin Booker

After 11 seasons with the Washington Wizards, Bradley Beal has finally moved on to ply his trade for the Phoenix Suns. Alongside Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Deandre Ayton, Beal's inclusion in the roster easily makes the Suns a formidable matchup in the league.

However, when Beal was going across his lineup of options to pick with his no-trade clause, he was in disbelief that Phoenix was included.

"I was like, "Why are they trading Book?" Beal asked. "Like there's no way that this is happening."

There were obviously a number of NBA teams that were in the running to pitch their vision for Bradley Beal to consider. When Beal chose the Suns over other available options, a team that lucked out of the all-star was the Miami Heat.

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From Beal's perspective, a team-up with the Phoenix Suns was hard to pass on as opposed to what Miami had going for them. Despite being fresh off Finals appearance against the Denver Nuggets, the Suns still had two stars in Booker and Durant, along with a quality big in Ayton.

With the new CBA guidelines regarding roster construction under the new cap rules, having a great pitch to Beal was a priority for the Phoenix Suns. Besides meeting with the front office, both Devin Booker and Kevin Durant were part of the pitch to fully sell Beal on the envisioned team-up.

This was not the first time the Suns were aggressive when it came to an all-star choosing them over their competitors. During the 2023 trade deadline, Phoenix was able to acquire Kevin Durant without giving away Devin Booker or Deandre Ayton in a trade package. Instead, they traded away Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, and four first-round picks to land the 13-time All-Star.

For Bradley Beal's scenario, the Suns had to trade away Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, six second-round picks, and four pick swaps to the Washington Wizards.


Bradley Beal's comments on joining the Phoenix Suns

In June earlier this year, Beal was officially introduced by the Phoenix Suns organization as he talked about the feeling of a fresh start.

"I feel refreshed," Beal said. "I feel rejuvenated. This is an exciting moment for me. This is an awesome team. I'm excited to play with two Hall of Famers, I've never done that. I'm excited what that brings. They'll push me in ways I've never been pushed and hopefully I'll do the same. Hopefully, we can chase the ring."

A fresh scenario can mean a lot of things for NBA players as it presents an opportunity to elevate or advance one's career. Bradley Beal has a shot at that with the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix Suns Fans? Check out the latest Suns depth chart, schedule, and roster updates all in one place.

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Edited by Tejas Rathi
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