Bradley Beal owed $160 million over next 3 seasons, could go 5 straight seasons without 60+ appearances

Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal is still owed $160 million over the next three NBA seasons, and the three-time All-Star could very well go a fifth-straight season without making 60 or more appearances.

Beal, 30, has not played in at least 60 games since the 2020-21 season with the Washington Wizards. His $140 million is what remains on the five-year, $251.02 million max contract he signed with Washington in July 2022.

Beal’s making $46.74 million this season and $50.20 million in 2024-25. His deal also includes a $57.12 million player option for 2026-27.

During the offseason, the Wizards traded Beal to Phoenix for cash, Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple second-round draft picks. Paul was then traded to the Golden State Warriors.

B/R ranks Bradley Beal’s contract as the NBA’s worst:

🧱 $251M owed into his mid-30s

🧱 No-trade clause

🧱 Injury concerns

🧱 3rd option paid like a superstar

Do you agree? pic.twitter.com/ZwB2gHgPZI

— BrickMuse (@BrickMuse) July 30, 2023

Beal suffered a sprained right ankle during the first quarter of the Suns’ 139-122 loss to the New York Knicks on Dec. 15, the latest setback in what Suns coach Frank Vogel described as a “frustrating injury type of season for him.”

The 12-year veteran knocked down a 3-pointer in the first quarter, but he came down on the foot of Knicks guard Donte DiVincenzo, who was called for a Flagrant 1 foul because he didn’t allow Beal space to land. Beal finished with six points against the Knicks before departing.

Phoenix Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Bradley Beal has played only two games together

In six appearances this season, Beal has averaged 14.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 25.2 minutes per game. The Missouri native was also shooting 44.9% from the floor, a career-best 42.9% beyond the arc, and 70.8% at the foul line.

As stated before, his latest injury became just another setback for the Suns’ All-Star trio of Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, and Beal, which has played together for only one other game this season — a 116-112 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Dec. 13.

The three aforementioned NBA vets lead Phoenix’s salary cap. Durant ($47.64 million), Booker ($36.01 million), and Beal ($46.74 million) are making a combined total of $130.39 million this season! The fourth highest-paid Suns player is Jusuf Nurkic, who’s earning $16.87 million this season.

Bradley Beal has played in a total of 96 games over the last three seasons (50, 40, 6), with three more seasons (and $160M) beyond 23-24 left on his contract, how many TOTAL games will he play for the Phoenix Suns?

— PHX Fans (@PHXFansAZ) December 21, 2023

Furthermore, it should be noted that Beal is just part of the problem. Last season, the Suns went 45-37 under then-head coach Monty Williams and finished fourth in the Western Conference. Phoenix was then eliminated in six games by the Denver Nuggets in the conference semifinals.

That was before Beal was added. Before last season’s trade deadline in February, Phoenix traded Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson, Jae Crowder, and four unprotected first-round draft picks (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029) to the Brooklyn Nets for Durant.

Why are the Suns regressing?

In the 2021-22 season, the Suns won a franchise-best 64 games and coach Monty Williams won NBA Coach of the Year. During the 2022 conference semifinals, Phoenix lost in seven games to the Dallas Mavericks. Since this heart-breaking series loss, the Suns haven’t been the same team.

Even then, Suns fans could argue that the Western Conference contender hasn’t been the same since losing the 2021 NBA Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. In fact, James Jones won NBA Executive of the Year. Both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons ended with disappointing losses.

Perhaps the biggest issue is the lack of younger, less injury-prone stars. Beal is only 30 years old, but he has dealt with a number of different setbacks — ranging from wrist, shoulder, and leg to ankle injuries. Durant, 35, is no stranger to ACL and MCL injuries as well.

So why bring this pair together to play with Booker? Why take on Beal’s supermax contract considering he’s an older, injury-prone veteran? All good questions. Simply put, this falls back on management.

Former Suns coach Monty Williams also contributed to the team’s decline. However, Phoenix should have known that Washington brass seemed antsy to dump Bradley Beal’s ridiculous contract. No player with a history like that is worth a supermax deal. There’s no turning back now.

Through 29 games this season, the Phoenix Suns are 14-15 and rank 11th in the West.