Thursday update: The trade is now finalized, with the Suns sending four pick swaps and six second-round picks to Washington in the trade.
Washington and Phoenix have finalized the Bradley Beal trade, landing the Wizards six second-round draft picks and four first-round pick swaps, sources tell ESPN. Suns are sending seconds in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and 2030. Pick swaps in 2024, 2026, 2028 and 2030.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 22, 2023
Monday update: The Wizards are including Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd in the Beal package. The Suns do need some depth pieces, which Goodwin and Todd will be given the current state of the Phoenix roster.
ESPN Sources: In addition to Bradley Beal and Jordan Goodwin, the Wizards are including F Isaiah Todd in trade with the Suns. Todd – the 31st pick in 2021 – has mostly played with Wizards’ G-League affiliate the past two seasons. His $1.8M contract is guaranteed for 2023-2024.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 19, 2023
The Washington Wizards are trading SG Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns in a deal involving Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and multiple picks, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania. Beal is waiving his no-trade clause to form a new superstar trio with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant in the desert.
BREAKING: The Washington Wizards are trading three-time All-Star Bradley Beal to the Phoenix Suns for Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, a handful of second-round picks, and multiple pick swaps, league sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 18, 2023
This is an odd deal for the Wizards, who don’t acquire any first-round picks outright for their superstar shooting guard. Although Beal has dealt with injury issues over the last few seasons, he’s still going to be just 30 years old entering the 2023-24 NBA season. He’s only two seasons removed from averaging 30+ points per game, which he did in back-to-back seasons.
The Suns have made out like bandits in this trade on the surface, since second-round picks can be bought back in the draft and the pick swaps will only really mean anything if Phoenix gets hit hard by the injury bug. The Suns are also keeping center Deandre Ayton on the roster for now, but there are sure to be some conversations around his future in the offseason.
Washington has chosen to go with what appears to be a full rebuild, while Phoenix is all-in on contending with Booker, Beal and Durant. This trade heavily favors the Suns at the moment but won’t mean much without a title for Phoenix.
The Suns were unable to get past the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs despite making the trade for Durant in-season. Phoenix had title aspirations before Durant was acquired after making the NBA Finals in 2021. Perhaps Beal can help the Suns get over the hump and back in the championship round. It’ll be tough for this group going up against the Nuggets, Warriors, Lakers, Grizzlies, Kings and Mavericks among other top teams in the West.
As for the Wizards, they haven’t had a legit team since the franchise switched names from the Washington Bullets in 1997-98. Washington has made the postseason just once in the past five seasons. This iteration of the franchise has never made it past the second round of the playoffs. The past five drafts have been used to add Johnny Davis, Corey Kispert, Deni Avdija, Rui Hachimura and Troy Brown. None of the picks have panned out so far but Kispert, Avdija and Davis are all still young.
After the 2023-24 season, the Wizards will have the following players on the roster: Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, Davis, Kispert, Daniel Gafford, Isaiah Todd, Jordan Goodwin and Xavier Cooks. CP3 likely retires or is bought out as the rest of his deal isn’t fully guaranteed. Shamet and Gafford are signed long-term. The rest of the players are on rookie deals. Avdija will be a restricted free agent and need a new deal. That gives the Wizards a pretty clean slate to work with for a rebuild.