Phoenix Suns have ‘toxic’ $160 million obstacle to building championship contender

It was at best an underwhelming performance; at worst a total embarrassment. The Phoenix Suns‘ 4-0 loss at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the Western Conference playoffs exposed the lack of depth behind Kevin Durant and Devin Booker.

Bradley Beal was acquired to be the third star that would put the Suns over the hump and in position to win an NBA title. He was far from that player and Phoenix ended the season far from that championship.

Trading for Beal was an all-in move. After bringing him to the desert and adding Jusuf Nurkic and Grayson Allen to complete their starting five, the Suns were forced to fill out their roster with minimum-salary players like Yuta Watanabe, Josh Okogie and Drew Eubanks.

Phoenix had its three stars that were supposed to carry the franchise to its first NBA championship. Following an early-round flameout, it’s stuck with a flawed roster that can’t get better because of one massive contract and its disastrous no-trade clause.

Bradley Beal’s ‘toxic’ contract limits Phoenix Suns’ offseason plans

Beal is owed about $50 million next season, $54 million the following year and has a $58 million player option for 2026-27. He’s also the only NBA player with a no-trade clause, which means Phoenix is stuck with an enormous contract that is nearly impossible to get rid of.

The 30-year-old just had his worst statistical season since 2015-16, and maybe more painfully for the Suns, he hasn’t played more than 60 games in six years.

At least one NBA executive thinks Phoenix is in serious trouble and Beal’s contract is its biggest problem, per Ric Bucher of Fox Sports:

Beal is toxic debt now. You have to move on before (Devin Booker) and (Kevin Durant) demand trades and you lose leverage in the market place.

You’d need to give up multiple picks to get off of him.

That last statement is the real kicker for the Suns: Beal is overpaid and overvalued, but the franchise would need to add assets to sweeten any deal to get off his money. And with his no-trade clause, he could still veto any trade if Phoenix does manage to find one.

There are three likelier scenarios for team owner Mat Ishbia, none of which he’d presumably prefer: Trade Durant, trade Booker, or run it back with Beal and hope for the best. The Suns will make some moves this summer, but turning Beal into assets that could help win that elusive championship will almost certainly not be one of them.

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