Suns guard Bradley Beal is apparently not amenable to waiving his no-trade clause to be moved to the Bulls, a source informs Fred Katz of The Athletic.
Chicago has reportedly held conversations with Phoenix about acquiring Beal to help facilitate a Suns trade for embattled Heat All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler. On Monday, the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals MVP was just suspended by the Miami — for the third time this year.
Because the Heat are hoping to avoid adding a player under a long-term deal, Katz notes, a third team seems needed to land Butler with Phoenix All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, creating a new “Big Three” of formidable veterans.
Two-time All-Star Chicago wing Zach LaVine‘s $43MM salary would have made him a clear financial fit for Miami in a hypothetical three-team deal, although he is under contract for two more seasons after this one.
Things have not gone according to plan for the Suns this season. Day-one starters Beal and Jusuf Nurkic have both been demoted to the bench, and the club has struggled in the Western Conference under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. Nurkic is no longer in Budenholzer’s rotations at all, while Beal is the club’s sixth man. Phoenix is currently 23-21 on the year, good for the No. 7 seed in the West.
Katz reports that, despite his apathy towards a Bulls trade, Beal would be open to being dealt away from the Suns, provided he is sent to a “winning team.” He finds cold-weather destinations less appetizing. The Bulls, being in such a climate and also sporting a sub-.500 19-27 record, are not among trade destinations Beal would approve.
Across 31 healthy games this year, the 6’4″ guard is averaging 17.2 points on an efficient slash line of .485/.396/.764.
The 31-year-old is owed $160MM across this season and the next two. League-wide only Beal, who has not made an All-Star team since his Wizards-era prime, and 21-time All-Star Lakers forward LeBron James have no-trade clauses.