For Bradley Beal, tonight was supposed to be about redemption. The game between the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers was intended to signal a fresh start for Beal, a chance to show the crowd that his stint in Phoenix wasn’t the end of his productivity. Unfortunately, his poor showing turned into a reminder of how quickly things soured between Beal and the fans who once viewed him as the final piece in their championship puzzle.

Before the game, Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue was asked about him stepping up, especially with Kawhi Leonard and James Harden missing tonight’s matchup. “Basically, he definitely can do it… The minutes he’s going to be playing, I don’t think he can really go out and score 35, 40.” Beal is currently playing on a minutes restriction to manage a right knee injury.

Lue added, “He’s slowly working towards where he’s trying to get to, and then tonight, just one of those days, just adding, stacking games, stacking days, and this would be another one he’s trying to stack.” All Beal had to do was get on the court and look solid, but the Phoenix crowd didn’t care about his lack of rhythm.

The Phoenix crowd booed Beal every time he touched the ball, indicating that memories of his unsuccessful tenure and tense exit via buyout this offseason are still fresh in the fans’ minds. The heckling seemingly affected him, because Beal logged just 5 points, a rebound, and an assist, shooting an abysmally low 14.3% from the field, connecting on just 2 of his 14 shot attempts. He also logged two turnovers and three fouls, and a -23 plus/minus, making this a game to forget for the Clippers guard. It was eerily reminiscent of the struggles that defined his frustrating time in Phoenix.

Suns owner Mat Ishbia had previously commented on Beal’s exit after it took place, clarifying that despite the terms of the buyout, the two parties were not on bad terms: “He’s a great guy. Just not a fit with the Phoenix Suns going forward. We told him that. We made that decision. We let them know we wanted to move forward without him. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad guy. It doesn’t mean he’s a bad player.”

During his time with the Suns, the team managed one playoff appearance in two years, being swept by Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in a series that marked Edwards’ arrival as a superstar on the national scene. During the series, Beal averaged 16.5 points on below-average efficiency and logged a BPM of -3.8, based primarily on his lapses on defense.

Fans React to Bradley Beal’s Struggles in the Los Angeles Clippers’ loss

Fans didn’t mince words after the LA Clippers’ 115-102 loss to the Phoenix Suns, with one pointing out how Bradley Beal failed to deliver even with the Clippers missing multiple stars. “You know Bradley Beal washed as f— cause Kawhi and Harden ain’t even playing and he still ain’t step up.” For many, the post delivered on their frustration: a former star unable to rise when the stage was wide open.

Another viewer kept it blunt, writing, “Bradley Beal is so terrible… TF!” It was short and raw, but a painful reflection of how his once-feared offensive game had seemingly disappeared. Beal struggled to such an extent that fans didn’t even need to look at the stats; the eye test made it clear.

“Suns fans hate watching Bradley Beal frying me bro Lmaoo Beal legit look like he needs to retire right now,” one user joked, humorously communicating disbelief. It effectively summed up the collective feeling, highlighting that watching Beal has become less about hoping for a breakout performance and more about enduring a hard decline.

Another comment read, “Bradley Beal couldn’t get 10 points is crazy 🤣🤣🤣🤣 #retirebeal,” mocking the guard’s inability to hit even double figures. Once a rare off-night, this has become an ongoing narrative for Beal, who is averaging just 8 points per game this season.

Finally, one fan turned to the Clippers front office, saying, “How does Bradley Beal have a contract still?” highlighting the growing sentiment that Beal’s deal didn’t reflect his impact. Beal is currently signed to a $11 million contract for the next two years.