PHOENIX — Drew Hanlen has a story he likes to tell about Bradley Beal. It took place in 2012, during Beal’s rookie season in Washington.
The Wizards were off to a miserable start, losing their first 12. Hanlen, Beal’s basketball trainer, was in Beal’s apartment after a loss, and Beal was upset that he had missed a late 3-pointer in a close game. As Hanlen recalled last year, Beal was devastated.
He tried to get Beal to look at this differently. “Brad, listen, you guys are 0-12, you guys have no chance of winning anything,” Hanlen said he told Beal. “This season’s all about just getting better.”
Beal didn’t want to hear it.
“I don’t lose,” he said. “We got to figure this out.”
Beal was reminded of this late Thursday night as he walked out of Footprint Center after Phoenix’s 123-115 win over the Atlanta Hawks. For a team that had lost 11 of 15, the Suns needed something positive in the worst way. Beal led the charge.
“My rookie year was tough, man,” Beal said. “Because in that environment, I felt like nobody cared. And it was a learning experience for me, too. It’s the NBA. You have another game in 24 hours, you got to wash it off and move onto the next. Some people think I was delusional in D.C. Really, like, I want to win. That’s who I am.”
Five days ago, after Phoenix lost at Indiana to fall three games below .500, Suns coach Mike Budenholzer shifted Beal and big man Jusuf Nurkić to the bench. The move made headlines around the league, mostly because of Beal. First, players making $50 million don’t often leave the starting five. Second, it fueled speculation of a Jimmy Butler trade.
The Suns (17-19) are viewed as a potential landing spot for the disgruntled Miami Heat star. A trade likely would require many steps, including a third team willing to take on Beal’s massive contract. (He is owed $110 million over the next two seasons and has a player option for 2026-27.) More importantly: Beal would have to waive a no-trade clause in his contract.
A three-time All-Star, Beal, 31, has not come off the bench in nine years. And yet, it hasn’t bothered him on the court. He might be playing his best basketball since coming to Phoenix before last season.
Over three games, Beal has averaged 20 points, shooting 59.1 percent from the field. In Thursday’s win over Atlanta, he scored 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting. He also collected seven rebounds and three steals, including one in the final minutes in which he dove to the court to secure a loose ball.
Brad getting after it 💥 pic.twitter.com/hv7b1HURcB
— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) January 10, 2025
“Obviously, not an easy move for him, or for anybody to be in that situation,” said Devin Booker, who contributed 20 points and 12 assists. “But we all have a job and he continues to go out there and do it, so big ups to him.”
“Over the last two years, Brad’s been asked to do a lot of different things here that he’s not used to,” said Grayson Allen, who hit 7 of 8 and scored 23 points against the Hawks. “He’s always handled it pretty well and done what he’s been asked to do.”
The Suns have issues. They can’t stop anybody. (In Thursday’s win, they shot 60.5 percent in the first half and still trailed 72-68.) They look old at times, struggling to keep up with younger, more athletic teams. They lose their competitive edge. They get sloppy. These flaws may not be fixable anytime soon.
Nurkić, traded to Phoenix in a 2023 deal that sent Deandre Ayton to Portland, didn’t play against Atlanta. Budenholzer said it wasn’t a matchup deal. He was just trying to find the best lineup that worked. Behind starter Mason Plumlee, Budenholzer went with rookie Oso Ighodaro, who’s not nearly as big, but much more athletic. It’s a tradeoff Phoenix is willing to take.
Bradley Beal played 33 minutes off the bench in the Suns’ win Thursday over the Hawks, scoring 25 points on 11-of-16 shooting. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
Beal played 33 minutes against Atlanta, which is his season average. He didn’t start the game, but he finished. Throughout his 13th season, Beal has played well as a third option behind Durant and Booker. His biggest issue has been health: Through 36 games, Beal has missed 10. Availability is his weakness.
In the media room, Beal was asked about the biggest adjustment to his new role. His answer: “Everything.” Asked if there’s a moment that’s especially strange, like when the lineup is introduced or when the game starts, Beal said every moment is weird.
To help, he’s leaned on his faith. He cited a Bible verse — I Corinthians 15:58.
Read it, Beal said, and you’ll understand why he’s at peace.
Stand firm. Let nothing move you.
Beal seemed amused that people thought he would have handled this differently, unprofessionally. As he left the arena, he didn’t sound like someone ready to give in. His role has changed. He has not.
“Everybody’s got their own opinion,” Beal said. “But nobody knows me. People paint their own images. Ain’t nothing I can do but keep being me.”
GO DEEPER
Surprised Bradley Beal starts on Suns’ bench. He rallied them to a win anyway
(Top photo of Bradley Beal after Thursday’s win over the Hawks: Barry Gossage / NBAE via Getty Images)
