5 NBA Teams Now Interested In Bradley Beal Amid Contract Buyout Rumors

Phoenix Suns veteran guard Bradley Beal is now being linked to yet another team this offseason, as the Minnesota Timberwolves have reportedly expressed interest in the three-time All-Star.

Timberwolves Among Confirmed Suitors For Bradley Beal

Per NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, the Timberwolves are the latest team to enter the Bradley Beal sweepstakes, joining the Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, and Milwaukee Bucks.

If Minnesota adds Beal, he would likely come off the bench next season since veteran Mike Conley and star guard Anthony Edwards already occupy spots in the Wolves’ starting lineup.

In addition, Stein and Fischer reported that the Clippers remain the favorites to land the former first-rounder, as the Suns are considering waiving and stretching Beal’s contract.

Per Spotrac, Beal still has two years and $110.8 million remaining on his contract. The 32-year-old is currently on the five-year, $251 million deal that he signed with the Washington Wizards in July 2022.

Contract Buyout Would Eliminate Beal’s No-Trade Clause

Waiving and stretching Beal’s contract would require the 13-year-old veteran to forgo nearly $13.9 million of the rest he’s owed over the final two seasons of his deal.

Another option for the Suns is a contract buyout, which would terminate his deal and erase his no-trade clause.

A source informed The Athletic’s Fred Katz last Monday that the Suns and Beal’s camp are “increasingly optimistic” that the two sides will “agree to terms on a buyout.”

Such a move would allow the Suns to reduce the annual cap hit enough to avoid the second apron and luxury tax. The maximum amount that can count against the cap is $23.2 million.

Buyout Would Save Suns Nearly $200 Million In Luxury Taxes

The salary cap is set for the 2025-26 season at $154.647 million, with the first tax apron at $195.945 million and the second at $207.824 million.

A contract buyout would put the Suns under the first and second league tax apron and save them nearly $200 million in luxury taxes.

In two seasons with the Suns, Beal has averaged just 17.6 points per contest and has missed a combined 58 games during that span. He played in just 106 of a possible 164 games with Phoenix, according to Basketball Refernence.

Beal hasn’t played at least 60 games since the 2020-21 season, which was a 72-game season during the COVID-19 pandemic. His contract and injury history have made it more challenging for the Suns to move him.

When Beal played 60 games (all starts) that campaign, he averaged a career-high 31.3 points, made his third All-Star appearance, and received All-NBA Third Team honors.