New coach. New season. Maybe, just maybe, a new Bradley Beal.
It was never supposed to be like this.
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
When the Phoenix Suns traded for Bradley Beal in the summer of 2023, fans imagined a three-headed scoring hydra — Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal — an offensive supernova that could scorch the Western Conference. Instead, Beal’s Suns Era in the desert has felt more like a mirage: injuries, inconsistency, and long stretches of fourth-quarter irrelevance.
Even the most loyal fans quietly (and not so quietly) wondered: Was this just who Beal was now?
Enter the summer of 2025. Kevin Durant is on the trade block. The front office has turned over. Jordan Ott is now the head coach, and Beal, for the first time since arriving in Phoenix, may have a clean slate.
So, what happens now?
The Weight of Expectation and the Search for Role Clarity
Much of Beal’s uneven 2024-25 campaign came down to role confusion. He was the third option, but on many nights, his touches were sporadic and his usage was awkwardly distributed between “go stand in the corner” and “bail us out, quick.”
In Washington, Beal was the offensive engine. In Phoenix, he’s been relegated to a decorative (and expensive) hood ornament. As trade talks surrounding Kevin Durant heat up by the day, however, an opportunity begins to expand for Beal.
The Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets are 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant’s preferred trade destinations out of Phoenix, sources tell ESPN. Those across the NBA have been made aware in recent days that those are the three teams that Durant would commit to long-term. pic.twitter.com/Hqn5hDaWxC
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 15, 2025
Under Ott, early signs suggest a complete rebuild and a highly recalibrated approach. With Durant likely on his way out to a destination of his choosing, the offensive hierarchy has room for reorganization. Could Beal, finally healthy and unburdened, become the offensive focal point again—or at least the clear No. 2?
The Blueprint for Revival
Beal averaged just 17.0 points per game last season, his lowest output since his fourth year in the league. But here’s the thing: he did so on an ultra-efficient eFG% of 571% from the field and .386% from deep. The problem wasn’t his shot. It was the system.
In the right setup — think more pick-and-roll reps, far more ball movement, and a whole lot less standing around — Beal can still torch drop coverage and exploit mismatches. Add a reliable roll man or other key pieces in the lineup, and you open up lanes and angles that simply didn’t exist last year. Check out the glorious array of options and mock trade scenarios here.
– Kevin Durant has the HEAT on his preferred trade destinations
– The HEAT are now the current favorites to land Russell Westbrook
KD x Russ reunion in Miami pic.twitter.com/r3HUBZvNZP
— (@WadexFlash) June 15, 2025
Defensively, Beal is who he is: passable when engaged, not a stopper. But a bolstered perimeter cast (hello, Year 2 version of Ryan Dunn and other defensive stallions picked up along the way) may allow Beal to conserve energy for what he does best: score.
Contract Value vs. Production
Here’s where the conversation gets stickier. Beal’s contract — a max deal with a full no-trade clause — has become a favorite target of criticism. And fair enough: a $50M salary demands top-tier output.
But with Durant and possibly other useful contracts (Grayson Allen) on the way out, Phoenix may have no choice but to bet on Beal rediscovering All-Star form.
Per @JakeLFischer:
“There has been a good bit of chatter this week about the Suns’ willingness to explore trades involving Grayson Allen and Royce O’Neale as part of the Durant discussions, sources say, to reduce their tax bill further.” pic.twitter.com/Ypsa5gh4Lx
— John Voita, III (@DarthVoita) June 14, 2025
Whether they like it or not, he’s here. The question is: can he thrive?
Betting on Beal
What if, after all the reshuffling, the Suns settle into a roster that highlights Beal’s strengths? What if the Suns acquire a young rim-running big (see Nick Claxton chatter), a true point-of-attack defender, and let Beal do what he was born to do: be a bucket?
He may never again be 2019 Beal, dropping 30 a night while carrying a lottery-bound Wizards team, but that version isn’t the goal. Phoenix needs a star who can play second fiddle to Booker, punish secondary defenders, and make defenses pay for helping.
For me, I may stand in the minority on this, but I want Beal here. I think he brings transparency and an attitude to the Suns organization that is sorely needed. We only have to look to Durant, who wants out now that it seems he’s being pushed. NO ONE has experienced the hostility or passive-aggressive vitriol that Bradley Beal has experienced, and he’s been a class act, a real professional every day.
For most fans, it’s about the perceived star power Beal was meant to provide. Can Beal be that player? Can Jordan Ott unlock what others couldn’t? Or is it simply too late?
Maybe the better question is: what if it’s not? What do you think? Check out the poll below.
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