Bradley Beal and Jayson Tatum’s bond runs deeper than basketball—it started back in St. Louis, when Beal was the older kid looking out for a young Tatum. That “big brother” dynamic never faded, even as both became NBA stars. Now, with each of them making headlines for very different reasons, their connection is back in focus. One is facing a long road back, the other holding steady amid uncertainty—but the mutual respect? Still loud and clear.

When Jayson Tatum ruptured his right Achilles during the Celtics’ conference semifinals loss to the Knicks, Boston’s entire short-term outlook took a hit. He underwent surgery on May 13, and Friday marked exactly 45 days into his recovery. Tatum didn’t hold back, tweeted, “Day 45… this is some bulls—,”a raw glimpse into the grind he’s facing. Even with an optimistic eight-to-nine-month recovery window, he’s likely to miss most, if not all, of the 2025–26 season. With that timeline in mind, Boston has already made cost-cutting moves to get under the second tax apron and create some much-needed flexibility.

The Suns were hoping to free up some flexibility of their own this offseason—but Bradley Beal’s massive contract made that a little tricky. Still, through all the trade noise, one person stood firmly in Beal’s corner: Jayson Tatum. The ever-loyal little bro didn’t miss a beat, posting a string of Instagram stories for Beal’s birthday. “One of the coolest moments for me in my career! More life to my big brotha @bradbeal3 Enjoy ya day love ya champ,” Tatum wrote. It was a loud message of love, landing right in the middle of swirling trade rumors around Beal.

Bradley Beal’s situation in Phoenix has become a full-blown headache. When the Suns traded for him back in June 2023—sending off Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and draft picks—they also took on the remaining four years of a massive five-year, $251 million deal. That contract, which includes a no-trade clause, gave Beal rare power—something only LeBron James currently shares. But so far, that power hasn’t led to much success. Over two seasons in Phoenix, Beal played just 64.6% of possible games due to injuries and had the lowest plus/minus on the team last season at -5.2. Add in the fact that he was benched for 15 games, and the Suns missed the playoffs for the first time in five years with a 36–46 finish—it’s no surprise fans are frustrated.

Now, the Suns may have no choice but to keep Beal, even if his role shrinks dramatically. After the team traded Kevin Durant to Houston and got back 23-year-old Jalen Green—a rising star who plays the same position—Beal’s future became even murkier. Financially, things are just as tight. The Suns remain above the second apron, which severely limits what they can do in free agency and trades. And even if Phoenix wanted to move on from Beal, his contract makes it difficult. He still has two years and over $110 million left, which makes most contending teams hesitant.

A buyout is technically on the table, but that’s complicated too. It would require Beal to give up a meaningful chunk of money—$13.8 million total across five years, or $2.7 million annually—to make it worth it for Phoenix, as reported by SI. So far, that doesn’t seem likely. There’s also a personal layer to all of this: since leaving D.C., Beal and his family moved first to Los Angeles, then settled in Phoenix full time. Another move would mean uprooting his kids again—or being away from them—neither of which he’s eager to do. And it’s not like he’s willing to go just anywhere. When asked about the rumored interest from the Chicago Bulls, Beal told Sportico bluntly: “There’s no way on earth I’ll play for the Bulls.”

Boston Celtics’ trade moves with Jayson Tatum sidelined for most of the season

The Celtics have officially hit the reset button—and it’s already loud. The first big moves came fast: Jrue Holiday was traded to Portland and Kristaps Porzingis to Atlanta in back-to-back deals, helping Boston clear roughly $27 million in cap space. That pushed them under the dreaded second apron of the luxury tax—key in a season where contention suddenly looks unlikely. But the work isn’t done. As MassLive’s Brian Robb reported, the Celtics are expected to “remain active in the trade market” moving forward.

As of Friday, Boston is just $4.5 million under the second apron—and staying below that line limits what they can do all offseason and regular season. So, more salary shedding may be on the way. Anfernee Simons ($27.7M) and Georges Niang ($8.2M), both acquired in the recent trades, are names to watch, especially if Boston wants to move quickly before July 6, when those deals become official. Simons has legit scoring value (20.7 PPG over his last three seasons), and Niang shot 40.6% from three last year, making him an appealing target for contenders. Meanwhile, Sam Hauser could also be moved—his market was “robust” ahead of the draft. He’s a 42% career three-point shooter set to make $10 million next season, but with Baylor Scheierman on a $2.6M deal, the Celtics may opt for cheaper depth.

Then there’s Derrick White. While Boston reportedly took calls on him and Jaylen Brown, nothing got close. And for good reason. As reported, “Sources say Boston told at least one rival team that it would have insisted on a ‘Mikal Bridges-type’ package to part with Derrick White.” That kind of haul included five first-rounders when the Knicks traded for Bridges last year, and it’s clear no team was ready to match that.

Amid all the trade buzz and roster reshuffling, Jayson Tatum still carved out a moment to celebrate his big bro Bradley Beal’s birthday. Even with everything shifting around him, that bond stayed untouched.