‘Excited’ Clippers officially add veteran G Bradley Beal

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Three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal officially signed with the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday.

The change in location comes after Beal reached a buyout with the Phoenix Suns. According to ESPN, Beal, 32, gave back nearly $14 million of the $110 million left on the final two years of his Suns contract in order to complete the buyout.

Agent Mark Bartelstein from Priority Sports confirmed to ESPN on Wednesday that Beal’s deal with the Clippers was for two years and $11 million. The deal includes a player option for 2026-27, potentially making him a free agent next summer.

“Players of this caliber are very rare, and they’re hard to come by,” Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue said in a release. “Brad has been an All-Star. He’s been in a race for the scoring title. He’s been the best player on his team. You can put him in so many different spots and he’ll find ways to score: out of pick-and-roll, coming off screens, catch-and-shoot. … I’m excited he’s with us.”

Beal signed a five-year, $251 million deal with a no-trade clause in July 2022 when he was still with the Washington Wizards.

He was limited to 53 games in each of his two seasons with the Suns, and he has not played as many as 60 games in a season since 2020-21.

Beal averaged 17.0 points, 3.7 assists and 3.3 rebounds in 53 games (38 starts) last season for the Suns. He has career averages of 21.5 points, 4.3 assists and 4.1 rebounds in 801 games (752 starts) with the Wizards and Suns.

Washington drafted Beal with the No. 3 overall pick in 2012. His scoring average of 31.3 points in 2020-21 was the second-highest in franchise history and second-highest in the NBA that season behind Golden State’s Stephen Curry (32.0).

–Field Level Media