Phoenix Acquires: Bradley Beal (3 years 150 million+ left on deal plus player option in 26-27 for $57 mill), Jordan Godwin (Partially Guaranteed + team option next season all cheap-around 4 mill for next two years), Isaiah Todd (5.3 over 3 years left w/team option)

Wizards Acquires: Chris Paul (partially guaranteed next yr), Landry Shamet (10.2 next yr, + non guaranteed year at 11, + team option at 11.75), multiple 2nds, 1^st round pick swap (details not confirmed yet)

New Suns owner Mat Ishbia made his second huge move bringing Bradley Beal to the desert. The deal hasn’t been solidified yet with the Wizards searching for a third party to complete the trade and pick up Chris without worrying about a buyout. A third party enter is important because it matters how much each team would pay out of his remaining contract. Bradley Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein is the father of the Suns CEO Josh Bartelstein, but that really didn’t make a difference in this case. Beal was going to dictate his trade teams with his “no-trade” clause, the only player in the league to currently hold one. He can reenact the clause if the Suns want to trade him away in the future.

This trade is really ho-hum under the surface. Beal is one season into his supermax extension, a move the Wizards front office made to keep him as an asset even if he wasn’t worth the contract. The problem with that train of thought is that the giant contract limits trade partners, the no-trade clause was a horrible decision to throw in, and the Wizards lost him for pennies on the dollar anyways. Washington has only one playoff appearance in the past five seasons to show for their efforts. Receiving second round picks and pick swap for a sinking team is close to nothing, Chris Paul won’t be staying, and Shamet won’t make a playoff rotation and is on his fifth team going into his sixth season. Washington could have shipped Beal off two lost seasons ago and been in better shape. They had to move his contract just to breath.

Phoenix has shred up its bench and draft capital completely. It’s also exploded into the new luxury tax put into place by the newly agreed-upon CBA and they’ll be severely restricted in further trades and signings. They’ll have three heavy usage players in Booker, Beal, and Durant that’ll have to learn their roles. Durant may have to focus on defense. Booker may have to play more point. Beal will have to learn to do off-ball stuff. All three are injury risks. Ayton will probably be moved, but he certainly can’t take jump shots and give up at the rim while he stays. This trade doesn’t solve any of the issues they had with Booker and Durant as center pieces and could harm them with his contract and cap restrictions if they need to make adjustments down the line.

Washington will probably look to move Kyle Kuzma while stock is high and Kristaps Porzingis who is still only 27. Phoenix will be interesting to watch next season as they’re working in a tight championship window with Durant turning 35 in September. Beal will be 30 on June 28^th.