Suns’ Bradley Beal: We need to be ready for offseason changes

Bradley Beal didn’t duck the noise on Friday night. He’s heard the speculation surrounding his future with the Phoenix Suns, and as the curtain closed on the team’s home schedule, the veteran guard addressed it with familiar candor.

“It doesn’t bother me, man,” Beal told reporters following the Suns’ 108-98 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. “Everybody’s going to have an opinion about something. … You’re entitled to it, but nobody knows what happens internally.”

Beal, 30, remains under contract through at least the 2025-26 season, with a $57.1 million player option in 2026-27. But with Phoenix falling well short of expectations and locked into the NBA’s second tax apron, questions have mounted about whether the Suns can — or will — move forward with their current core intact.

Team owner Mat Ishbia is expected to push for changes this offseason. According to Beal, the players are well aware.

“Nobody’s probably more pissed off than we are as a team,” he said. “But we know Mat is going to demand some changes, so we just got to be ready to hear what he wants to do.”

Trade Chatter Clouds Offseason

Beal has been a fixture in trade speculation since arriving in Phoenix via a high-profile deal in June 2023. However, any hypothetical move is complicated. Beal holds a rare no-trade clause — one of just a handful in the NBA — and cannot be waived-and-stretched due to the size of his salary under the league’s cap structure.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, Beal’s stretch figure would exceed the league’s 15% cap threshold, making such a maneuver nonviable unless the guard agreed to a significant buyout — something that would require mutual interest and financial compromise.

Season Marked by Injuries, Inconsistency

For Beal, the season again never fully stabilized. He appeared in just 53 of the team’s 81 games to date, often battling injuries and struggling to find a rhythm alongside fellow stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

“It definitely wasn’t ideal for what everybody envisioned,” Beal said. “It was another injury-plagued year for me a little bit.”

Beal acknowledged that his availability — or lack thereof — played a role in the team’s underwhelming 36-45 record entering Sunday’s finale.

“You control what you can control,” he added. “Just give it your all in making sure that you’re available, and a lot of times I wasn’t. That definitely falls on me.”

Phoenix went 22-31 in games Beal played. Without him, the Suns posted a .500 record at 14-14.

What Was Missing? Beal Points to Energy, Defense

When asked what held the Suns back this year, Beal pointed to two factors: defensive intensity and consistent effort.

“We couldn’t put it together like we liked,” he said. “But nobody hates the other man, nobody dislikes anybody else. I love Phoenix. I love being here. I hope that I can continue to be here.”

While Beal expressed optimism, he acknowledged the reality of change.

“I know Mat is going to probably make some changes,” he said. “But I enjoyed this group. It’s a fun group to be a part of.”

Adjusting to Coach Budenholzer

Friday’s game marked the near end of Mike Budenholzer’s first season on the Suns’ sideline — a campaign that opened with a promising 9-2 start before deteriorating into a 1-8 stretch ahead of Sunday’s finale.

Beal credited Budenholzer’s leadership while recognizing the challenges of implementing a new system.

“He’s a very tough coach. Like, he’s very demanding,” Beal said. “He holds us to a high standard for sure.”

The Suns went 24-35 over the 59 games sandwiched between their hot start and cold finish — a stretch that Beal missed portions of due to injury.

Looking Ahead

Despite the turbulence, Beal remains hopeful the Suns can build on the foundation in place, even if the structure looks different next season.

“We were a connected team,” he said. “We were together, and we just couldn’t put it together on the floor.”