(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
The Phoenix Suns rounded up an already scary lineup by trading for Bradley Beal.
The star shooting guard had been tangled up in trade rumors for the past couple of seasons, yet he had chosen to stay put at the nation’s capital.
Beal’s massive contract made it tough for him to be traded, not to mention the fact that he had a no-trade clause.
Eventually, things reached a breaking point as it became evident that it was better for both parties to move on.
Notably, his return to Washington was quite a success, as he torched his former team for a season-high 43 points, so it clearly meant a lot for him.
However, it was all in good spirits.
Following the win, Beal was overwhelmed by emotion and talked about how great it was for him to get back to the place where he grew as a man and became the player he is nowadays (via Duane Rankin).
“Tonight was awesome. To be back in the city that helped me grow as a man from drafting me on my 19th birthday. Being here for 11 years. It was a lot of good memories and that tribute video was awesome,” Beal said.
“Tonight was awesome. To be back in the city that helped me grow as a man from drafting me on my 19th birthday. Being here for 11 years. It was a lot of good memories and that tribute video was awesome.”
Bradley Beal returns to Washington as #Suns top #Wizards, 140-112, Sunday. https://t.co/IHiolyjkMO pic.twitter.com/SyW7wTbnCu
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) February 5, 2024
The Wizards drafted Beal to complement John Wall in the backcourt, but they wound up giving him the keys to the team once Wall started struggling with injuries and off-court issues.
Beal was unable to lead the team to contention on his own, and he was heavily criticized for the money he was making and his proneness to get hurt.
Now, he’s finally getting a chance to play meaningful basketball for a championship-contending team.
As for the Wizards, it might take a while before they’re even ready to compete for a spot in the playoffs.
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