Sacramento Kings named among 'best landing spots' for $251 million Suns star
By Matt John
Returning to the playoffs is among the Sacramento Kings' biggest goals for next season, though it's apparent that they want to do more than that. Rumor season won't start for another month, but in the meantime, one possible option to consider would be Bradley Beal.
It sounds ridiculous knowing what Beal is paid and the season he just had in Phoenix. However, Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz explained how Beal still maintains some appeal despite his gargantuan contract.
"Beal averaged 18.2 points, 5.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per game this season on a modest 22.7 percent usage rate while shooting a career-high 51.3 percent overall and 43.0 percent from three. His contract (three years, $160.1 million) is rough, but it would look better if he wasn't deferring to two other alpha scorers on a regular basis," Swartz wrote.
Swartz explained why Beal wasn't the proper fit in Phoenix and how he would fit better elsewhere.
"Not having a true point guard on the roster didn't help Phoenix, either," Swartz wrote. "Beal would thrive in a new situation where he gets more shot opportunities and can play alongside a pass-first floor general."
But why would the Kings want him? Swartz explained very briefly why they would have interest in him.
"The Sacramento Kings might be on the hunt for more star power alongside De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis."
Swartz named the Kings among the teams who would be among the best landing spots for Beal should he become available. While Beal could give the Kings more of a scoring spark, his no-trade clause ultimately determines whether a Kings trade would come to fruition. And that would all depend on if the Suns plan to get rid of him.
Brian Windhorst says Suns plan to keep Bradley Beal
Beal's intriguing as a trade option, but it appears that he won't be on the market for the time being. ESPN's Brian Windhorst acknowleged that people around the league believe the Suns may break it up. However, he has heard different.
“Do people in the league say that?” Windhorst on the May 6 episode of The Rich Eisen Show. “Yes, they do. I talk to multiple people who think that’s what they’re going to have to do that. Do the Suns say that? No, they do not.
“I think the Suns’ intention is to keep all three of these star players. Tweak the roster, tweak some of their systems and processes and try to be better next year.”
The Suns will likely see if they can assemble a better roster around their three stars, do some renovations with their coaching staff, and try their best to conserve their guys for another postseason run.
While such an approach makes sense, how long of a leash Beal has is something to keep an eye on. The experiment did not work out nearly as well as the Suns would have liked. If it only get worse from here, that could drive down Beal's value, which could make him easier for the Kings to pick up.