Suns’ Bradley Beal On Trade Rumors: ‘I Need To Be Addressed Because I Hold The Cards’

Bradley Beal turned in a statement performance off the bench Monday night, scoring 25 points in the Phoenix Suns’ 109-99 road win over the Philadelphia 76ers. It marked his first time coming off the bench in nine years, dating back to the 2015-16 season while recovering from an injury with the Washington Wizards.

Beal’s second-half explosion, where he scored 20 of his 25 points, helped the Suns overcome an early 12-point deficit and snap a four-game losing streak.

Still, the change to a reserve role has sparked trade rumors, especially considering Beal’s no-trade clause, which would give him the final say on any potential move.

“If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards,” Beal told reporters after the game. “Until I’m addressed and somebody says something different, then I’ll be a Sun.”

Beal, a 13-year veteran and three-time All-Star, accepted coach Mike Budenholzer’s decision to shake up the starting lineup but made it clear that he still views himself as a starter in the league.

“Coach made his decision. Live with it,” Beal told Duane Rankin of AZCentral.com. “It’s kind of twofold. I’m a starter in the league. I firmly believe that.

“No disrespect to anybody, but I’m a starter. … Coach made a decision. I’m not going to sit there and argue with him. I’m not going to sit here and be a distraction.”

Budenholzer also shifted Jusuf Nurkic to the bench after the big man returned from a three-game suspension for his role in a fight with the Dallas Mavericks. Both players handled the change well, according to the Suns coach.

“I feel like we needed to make a change,” Budenholzer said. “Throughout a 48-minute game, you got to figure out your best combinations, your best ways to try to have success. They’re two important players to us, two very good players for us.

“We just felt like we needed to make a change. They’re pros. I talked to each of them individually. They want what’s best for the team. I have a lot of respect for them and an appreciation for them.”

Beal and Nurkic gave the Suns a huge lift off the bench, combining for 30 points as Phoenix reserves outscored Philadelphia’s bench 54-7. It was the second-most bench points for the Suns in the past two seasons, according to ESPN Research.

“What he was able to do tonight really put us in a great spot, made a bunch of plays for himself, a bunch of plays for his teammates,” Budenholzer said of Beal. “He’s been a pro. He was there for us tonight in a big way.”

When asked if the benching was connected to trade speculation, Beal made it clear that no such discussions had taken place with the team.

“I haven’t heard anything,” Beal said, leaving the future of his role and his status in Phoenix still up in the air.