Bradley Beal Buyout Imminent: Which Team Will Snatch the Star Guard Before the Deadline?

Which appears to be the Los Angeles Clippers.

Whether one of those other teams steps up with a deal or Beal chooses the Clippers, this appears close to happening. It will be the second nine-figure waive and stretch of the NBA season, behind only the 5 million the Bucks waived to move on from Damian Lillard and sign Myles Turner. Multiple reports have suggested the Phoenix Suns are very close to reaching a waive-and-stretch buyout deal with Bradley Beal, who has two years and 0.8 million left on his contract (Zach Lowe at The Ringer and Fred Katz at The Athletic are just two of the names reporting the deal is close). This is a negotiation because Beal has to give back approximately .8 million of his contract for the Suns to be able to waive and stretch him (thanks to a little-discussed provision of the CBA). He appears willing to do that to get out of Phoenix and to a playoff team in a city where he wants to be.Beal also “has thought about” the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks, reports The Athletic’s Katz. While Miami and Beal have had a flirtation in the past, they do not appear to be a potential landing spot now. Bradley Beal is about to be a free agent.Los Angeles trading away Norman Powell — a sharpshooting, ball-handling wing, a role the Clippers need filled next to James Harden — is seen as a precursor to the Beal signing, league sources told NBC Sports. While Beal could start in place of Kris Dunn in the Clippers’ backcourt, for defensive purposes, the better fit would be for Beal to come off the bench with a second unit that includes John Collins (unless Collins starts and Derrick Jones Jr. comes off the bench), Bogdan Bogdanovic, and Brook Lopez. The Clippers can offer Beal either the remaining portion of their mid-level exception (estimated to be approximately .3 million) or the room exception (.1 million). Bradley Beal’s NBA future is on the brink of a seismic shift. After months of speculation, the Phoenix Suns and Beal are reportedly closing in on a waive-and-stretch buyout agreement — a complex maneuver involving Beal giving up nearly million to escape the final two years of his 0.8 million contract. It’s a move that speaks volumes about Beal’s desire to pivot away from Phoenix and land somewhere with playoff potential…preferably in a city that excites him. Enter the Los Angeles Clippers, who seem poised to swoop in following their recent decision to trade sharpshooter Norman Powell to Miami. This signals the Clippers’ intent to fill a critical role alongside James Harden, and sources suggest Beal could slot in as a dynamic spark off the bench. Though he’s also eyed spots with the Warriors, Lakers, and Bucks, the Clippers appear as the front-runner to harness Beal’s scoring talents. What’s unfolding here isn’t just another free agency deal — it’s shaping up to be the second massive contract buyout of the NBA season, underscoring the shifting tides in the league’s power dynamics. To get all the intricate details and insider intel, just follow the link below. LEARN MORE