The Most Powerful Player in the NBA Right Now… Is Bradley Beal

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With the start of 2025, the NBA is nearing the halfway point of the 2024-25 season. The NBA is also just under a month away from the 2025 trade deadline. While names like Jimmy Butler have dominated trade talks, there is one player who controls the rest of the trade season: Bradley Beal.

Ahead of the 2022-23 season, Beal would sign a five-year, $251 million deal. While this contract is like many of the top stars in the league, Beal’s contract would stand alone having a no-trade clause. Beal is only one of two players who has a no-trade clause in their contract, with LeBron James getting a no-trade clause in the contract he signed in the 2024 offseason.

Beal would waive his no-trade clause in the summer of 2023 to join the Phoenix Suns to form a big three with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. In his first season with the Suns, Beal would play 53 games, averaging 18.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 5.0 APG. Phoenix would be swept in the first round of the 2024 playoffs and the 2024-25 season has not been much better.

Through 35 games, the Phoenix Suns are 16-19, 12th in the Western Conference. Beal has played 25 games so far, averaging 17.8 PPG, 3.5 RPG, and 3.5 APG. He is currently averaging his lowest points per game since the 2015-16 season. Even though the Suns’ big three have all played at least 25 games each, they have struggled to compete in the West.

For the Suns, Jimmy Butler may have been an intriguing piece to add to their roster, especially as they aim to stay in championship contender. According to ESPN NBA Analyst Kendrick Perkins, his sources say the Suns have a two-year, $121 Million contract extension on the table for Butler as well as a contract extension waiting for Kevin Durant, who wants to play with Butler.

In a statement given to ESPN, Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein had the following to say regarding his status:

“There have been no discussions about trades with the Suns or any other team,” Bartelstein said. “Bradley’s total focus is on helping the Suns turn things around.”

Miami has also given no indication of wanting Beal, instead choosing to wait to trade Butler to maximize their return.

For Phoenix, the team is stuck with Beal through the 2026-27 season unless he waives his no-trade clause. The Suns are left with very limited options not being able to trade Beal. If the team continues to fall below expectations, Phoenix may be forced into trading either Devin Booker or Kevin Durant, who are signed through the 2027-28 and 2025-26 seasons respectively. Having no control of their first-round draft picks until 2031, the future of the Suns could depend solely on Beal.