ESPN’s Shams Charania announced Wednesday that Bradley Beal will undergo season-ending hip surgery. The Suns made a significant move to waive Beal this offseason, and this latest injury news further justifies their decision. Beal has been injury prone over the last five seasons and it was a major factor hurting the Suns during Beal’s time in Phoenix.
Bradley Beal can’t stay healthy.
Beal hasn’t played more than 53 games since 2021, when he was an All-Star with the Wizards. He reached that 53-game mark during both of his Suns seasons, but that wasn’t enough to make up for his huge contract. Beal was making $50 million a season while playing just over half the team’s games and looking mediocre when he played.
The Suns made an expensive decision when they waived Beal: They’ll pay him $19 million for each of the next five seasons. But it freed up space in the canopy and provided the opportunity for other suns to rise in the meantime. And their consistent health will give the Suns more stability than they would have with Beal.
Although the Suns had their weaknesses this season, they surprisingly outperformed the Clippers. After a very ambitious offseason, the Clippers find themselves near the bottom of the West with an aging roster. Beal is now well past his prime at age 32 with an extensive injury history, but he’s a lively chicken on the Clips.
The Clippers have invested heavily in an old team, led by 36-year-old James Harden and 34-year-old Kawhi Leonard. Leonard, of course, is notorious for his own injury history. The age and health of these two have hurt the Clippers in the past, so it was somewhat surprising that they chose to entrust Beal with their starting shooting guard role.
But the Clippers can’t resist the urge to go after big names. Hopefully the Suns have learned that lesson after the last two seasons. Their decision to part ways with both Beal and Durant this season already seems like the right choice. The team has been able to reset around a younger core and allow Devin Booker to shine at his brightest.
Booker could certainly use some top talent alongside him, but Beal and Durant couldn’t reliably provide that due to their inaccessibility. In an era of talent all over the league, it is important that teams bring their best to every game. That said, the Suns aren’t missing the injury-plagued days of the past two seasons at all at this point.
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