Bradley Beal finally broke his silence regarding the never-ending speculation about his trade probability upon being demoted by the Phoenix Suns to a bench role.
In his postgame availability after powering the team’s 109-99 victory against the Philadelphia 76ers, Beal bluntly indicated his thoughts about the possibility of a trade in his new situation for the Suns.
“If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards,” he simply said, referring to his no-trade clause that gives him the power to get traded or not. “Until I’m addressed and somebody says something different, then I’ll be a Sun.”
In an intriguing turn of events amid their struggles, head coach Mike Budenholzer and the Suns opted to send Beal and Jusuf Nurkic down to the bench, electing to start Mason Plumlee and Ryan Dunn as their replacements starting on Monday against the 76ers.
It’s been reported that there was tension within the team’s locker room, making all eyes directed to Beal considering the huge adjustment he’ll take. Beal hasn’t played off the bench in a single game since his time with the Washington Wizards during the 2015-16 campaign.
As such, this demotion has intensified the speculation about a trade around Beal. In the wake of the Suns being tagged as a potential destination for the disgruntled Jimmy Butler, the 31-year-old guard has been swarmed by outside noise in which Phoenix could send him to Miami in order to complete the acquisition of the Heat star.
But any transaction that includes Beal will still go through the approval of the Suns star. Holding a no-trade clause, Beal has the right to veto any trade he’s a part of.
Yet despite the rumblings and non-stop chatter about his future in Phoenix, Beal maintained his focus en route to powering the Suns’ win over the Sixers.
Beal put aside all the narratives and balled out spectacularly to help Phoenix erase its four-game losing skid. In 30 minutes as a reserve guard, he poured a team-high 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting with five assists and three boards.
At one point, the Suns were overjoyed during Beal’s outburst in the third frame in which the newly minted Phoenix sixth man netted 13 straight points.
“What he was able to do tonight really put us in a great spot, made a bunch of plays for himself, [and a] bunch of plays for his teammates,” Budenholzer said of Beal. “He’s been a pro. He was there for us tonight in a big way.”
As Beal embraces his new role on an indefinite basis, only time can tell what would be the next to unfold in his current stay in the Suns.
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