In the first big blockbuster trade of the 2023 NBA offseason, the Washington Wizards traded Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul and other compensation. But for one ESPN writer, the trade was very one-sided.
ESPN’s Kevin Pelton called the Wizards the winner of the trade and gave the Suns a “D” grade for doing it. Pelton made the case that the risk-reward for the Suns in adding Beal to their roster isn’t likely to pay off due to his high salary.
“Worse yet, Beal is early in the five-year contract he signed with Washington less than a year ago,” Pelton wrote on Sunday. “His salary increases to $57 million in 2026-27 (a player option), when Beal will be 33. An escalating salary cap will likely grow faster than Beal’s contract, but not enough to offset age-related decline. That’s why the return the Wizards got in terms of picks and players isn’t commensurate with Beal’s reputation as a player.
“More so than whether Beal was the right star to pursue to go with Booker and Durant, the question for the Suns is whether adding a star was the right move as opposed to trying to use Paul’s contract to beef up their depth with multiple contributors.”
Grades for the Bradley Beal trade, including a breakdown of the second apron implications for the Suns in filling out their roster this offseason. https://t.co/4WV1wAuoRF (ESPN+)
— Kevin Pelton (@kpelton) June 18, 2023
Pelton followed that up by admonishing the Suns for both trading multiple contributors to the Wizards (Landry Shamet) while going well over the luxury tax threshold with just Beal, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton and Devin Booker.
“Moreover, Phoenix again traded multiple contributors for a single player. The quartet of Beal, Booker, Durant and center Deandre Ayton will combine to make $163 million in 2023-24, enough to already put the Suns into the luxury tax without signing even a fifth player to make a full lineup.
“As a result, without an Ayton trade, the Suns assuredly won’t have access to their taxpayer midlevel exception because of incoming rules restricting teams that exceed the second luxury tax apron. Phoenix could still re-sign its own free agents, most notably forward Torrey Craig, but any outside additions to the roster will likely be limited to players making the veteran’s minimum.”
Who do you think won the trade?