Devin Booker is once again left holding the fort in Phoenix. It’s been weeks since Kevin Durant packed his bags for Houston, and now, Bradley Beal has followed suit. The Suns are back in the headlines, but not for the reasons they’d hope. Beal officially reached a buyout with Phoenix on Wednesday, cutting his short-lived stint with the team. Not long after, he landed with the Clippers, adding another big name to a roster that’s been struggling to stay afloat. But does Beal’s arrival change anything for L.A.? Well, it seems Kendrick Parkins has the answer for it.
When Bradley Beal joined the Suns in 2023, expectations shot through the roof. Even Devin Booker confidently said, “I don’t know how teams are gonna guard us.” And honestly, who could blame him? A trio featuring Booker, Kevin Durant, and Beal looked like a walking nightmare for any defense. But the dream never materialized. With Beal on the roster, the Suns never won a single playoff game. They got swept by the Timberwolves in the 2024 first round and didn’t even make the playoffs in 2025. The promise turned into a bust, fast. And just as the dust began to settle, Beal made a move no one saw coming.
As we already know, the three-time All-Star reached a contract buyout with the Suns, paving the way for a two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers, complete with a player option. But Phoenix didn’t walk away unscathed. To let Beal go, the Suns agreed to shell out a staggering $97 million over the next two years. That’s right, Beal walks with nearly nine figures and a fresh start in L.A. And how did he respond? A simple peace sign. No words. No drama. Just a cryptic gesture that said it all. But while Beal has only given a peace sign. On the other side, Kendrick also gave one word, which shocked the fans.
Bradley Beal simply gives the peace sign to the Suns after pocketing a $97 million buyout to be paid over the next two years.
Both sides were eager to move on after a disastrous two-year tenure, which included Phoenix attempting to trade Beal for Jimmy Butler for months. https://t.co/7dwLd41uPs
— Evan Sidery (@esidery) July 17, 2025
On a recent episode of First Take, Kendrick Perkins didn’t hold back when discussing Bradley Beal’s new two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers. When asked how Beal’s arrival might shift things in Los Angeles, Perkins gave a one-word answer that hit like a gut punch: “Nothing.” At first glance, that response felt cold, even disrespectful. But Perkins wasn’t throwing shade without a point. He quickly turned the spotlight onto Kawhi Leonard, delivering a hard truth many fans have been whispering for years.
(This is a developing story)
The post Bradley Beal Has 1-Word on Suns Exit as Clippers Face Harsh Truth on Kawhi Leonard & Co appeared first on EssentiallySports.