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Suns rumors: How new coach tried to convince Bradley Beal to stay
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- Suns rumors: How new coach tried to convince Bradley Beal to stay
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New Phoenix Suns head coach Jordan Ott reportedly made an effort to convince Bradley Beal to remain with the franchise before the veteran guard agreed to a contract buyout on Wednesday. According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Ott met with Beal shortly after his hiring in June and presented a plan for a renewed role with the team heading into the 2025–26 NBA season.
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"After new head coach Jordan Ott was hired in early June after a protracted search, he met with Beal and presented him a plan for how he could be used next season, sources said," Windhorst reported. "Beal is coming off a season in which his usage rate was the lowest of his career, his role diminishing under former coach Mike Budenholzer, who even took him out of the starting lineup for a six-week stretch."
Beal's decreased role last season was a source of frustration, and the meeting with Ott was part of a late attempt to salvage the relationship. Ott's approach reportedly emphasized how the Suns could reintegrate Beal more prominently into their offensive system. Despite the coaching change, however, Beal had already begun considering an exit from Phoenix.
"Ott, in his sales pitch to Beal, indicated the Suns had not totally given up on the concept of bringing him back next season," Windhorst added. "With two years and $113 million left on his contract and a no-trade clause — which had totally undercut the Suns' ability to deal him last winter — such a concept wasn't surprising."
Bradley Beal joins Clippers after buyout despite Jordan Ott's attempt to keep him with Suns
Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
While Beal appreciated the gesture, Windhorst noted that postseason meetings with his agent, Mark Bartelstein, contributed to his decision to leave the franchise if the right opportunity emerged.
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"We couldn't take the chance [of another lost year]," Bartelstein told ESPN. "This decision was about basketball. Bradley wants to play in big games and in big moments."
Beal, 32, averaged 17 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds per game last season while shooting 49.7% from the field and 38.6% from beyond the arc. He played in 53 games for Phoenix in his second year with the team.
After finalizing the buyout, Beal signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers , where he will join a veteran core led by Kawhi Leonard , James Harden , and Ivica Zubac . The Clippers are looking to strengthen their playoff positioning in a competitive Western Conference.
The Suns, meanwhile, continue to retool their roster after trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in June . The departure of Beal, along with the new direction under Ott, signals a broader shift in philosophy as the team moves on from the past two seasons' failed experiment with a three-star model.
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