Getty Kevin Durant (left) and Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns.
Bradley Beal was officially introduced as a member of the Phoenix Suns on June 29. For those who may be tardy to the party, the Washington Wizards executed a blockbuster deal to send Beal to the Suns in exchange for Chris Paul and Landry Shamet. Beal, one of the top-scoring guards in the NBA, averaged 23.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game last season.
Beal, a three-time All-Star in his own right, will be paired with two other All-Stars, Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, and has a chance to deliver the first NBA title of his career. When asked about the prospect of playing with Booker and Durant, Beal had high praise for his new teammates.
“You go in and you be who you are…I’m excited to play with two Hall of Famers,” Beal said during his introductory press conference on June 29. “They’ll push me in ways I haven’t been pushed.”
“I’m excited to be able to play with two Hall of Famers.”
Bradley Beal on teaming up with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the Suns.
Watch the full introductory presser on the NBA App: t.co/ivcrjOifzw
Frank Vogel Gives Insight on Suns Final Starting Spot
The Suns are still searching for players to fill out their roster before the opening of training camp. They have a talented core with their All-Star trio plus their star big man Deandre Ayton. But the players they surround them with will be just as essential to Phoenix winning a title. That will start with them completing their starting five.
Even with an All-Star backcourt with Beal and Booker, Suns head coach Frank Vogel says the fifth starting spot could be given to an additional guard, such as reserve Cameron Payne.
“I’m very comfortable with Beal and Booker as the starting backcourt, but we’re going to explore that fifth spot potentially being a Cam Payne or a point guard, and we’re going to explore it being maybe a ‘3,’ ‘4’ type defender position. Those things will play out in camp. I love the idea of getting those guys down the floor with a point guard and advancing it up to him and letting them attack. But I know that they can handle it on their own as well,” Vogel said.
“The pace that we want to play with, I think most possessions are going to have different ball-handlers each time down. It is going to be a multiple-ball-handler attack, but I am comfortable with those guys. But I do love what Cam Payne brings to the table.”
Suns To Be ‘Ultra-Agressive’ in Free Agency
Despite already having three All-Stars on their roster the Suns’ front office is not done trying to add firepower as the free agency period approaches.
Durant’s former Brooklyn Nets co-star Kyrie Irving is an unrestricted free agent and will officially be able to begin to meet with potential suitors when the period opens on June 30. Per Chris B. Haynes of Bleacher Report, the Suns are one of the teams Irving will consider for his next destination. He also notes that the Suns are being “ultra-aggressive” in trying to build a stronger contender.
“The Suns are still being ultra-aggressive in trying to assemble top talent to play alongside their three stars in Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal. New Suns governor Mat Ishbia and general manager James Jones are working tirelessly to construct a legitimate championship team,” Haynes writes.
“It would be difficult for the Suns to add Irving due to the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement. If they acquired him via sign-and-trade, they would be hard-capped at the first salary-cap apron, which is currently projected to be $172 million. They also are not expected to have access to the $12.4 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception or the $5 million taxpayer mid-level exception at the moment.”