Remaining Contract: Four years, $207.7 million (player option on final season, no-trade clause)
Bradley Beal is a good player. He just happens to be paid as if he's one of the game's greatest and will continue being compensated as such into his mid-30s.
Moving over to the Suns should add some significance to his stats that never materialized over his 11-year tenure with the Washington Wizards. He rarely made playoff noise in the District; next season, he could have a substantial impact on the championship race.
Of course, the reason Beal's in the title race now is because he is properly placed on a franchise hierarchy for the first time. He won't be the Suns' primary or secondary option; Kevin Durant and Devin Booker will handle those roles. He will, however, be paid like a superstar tasked with guiding an entire organization.
The money owed to the 30-year-old—plus the no-trade clause inexplicably given to him—is the reason why the Suns plucked him out of Washington for almost nothing: a past-his-prime Chris Paul, a never-in-his-prime Landry Shamet and a batch of second-round picks and first-round pick swaps.
A player making this much should be borderline perfect. Beal is far from that. He's a good scorer, but not always the most efficient one. He is a capable creator, but not someone you want initiating your offense. He used to be an adequate defender, but he's been a net negative on that end for some time.
Oh, he also has a host of injury concerns, having last topped 60 games in 2018-19, and maybe those could worsen with age.
As a player, he is fun to watch and could be more fun than ever in Phoenix. As far as his contract is concerned, though, it's as bad as they come entering the 2023-24 campaign.
Zach Buckley covers the NBA for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @ZachBuckleyNBA.
