The long-awaited NBA domino has finally fallen — Bradley Beal has a new home. After months of rumors and mounting speculation, the former All-Star guard is officially off the Suns’ books. Yes, you read that right. Phoenix has pulled off what many thought was impossible back in February: unloading Beal’s massive contract and creating much-needed financial breathing room. For a team buried under luxury tax pressure, this move signals both relief and a fresh start. The front office just pulled off a small miracle, but how much is he taking with him?

ESPN’s senior NBA insider, Shams Charania, tweeted: BREAKING: Three-time NBA All-Star Bradley Beal has agreed to a contract buyout with the Phoenix Suns and plans to join the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option after clearing waivers, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports told ESPN.

Bradley Beal just packed up his $110 million contract and took the next flight to Los Angeles. Earlier in July, the Clippers, Jazz, and Heat made waves with a three-way handshake that turned heads. LA snatched John Collins’ $125 million deal, Miami scooped up Norman Powell’s $90 million price tag, and Utah collected Kevin Love’s $8 million and Kyle Anderson’s $27 million. Now comes the twist: Beal lands in Clipperland.

Meanwhile, the Phoenix Suns just escaped luxury tax hell. They only needed Bradley Beal to trim $14 million from his paycheck. With the trade locked, their books breathe easier, their cap gets cleaner, and the $269 million dance finally makes sense. This move gives Phoenix the breathing room it craved, opening doors to future flexibility and fewer wallet burnouts. Sometimes, shedding stars is the brightest play. Now, an interesting question: How much will the Suns pay Bradley Beal?

What was Bradley Beal originally owed by the Suns?

Bradley Beal had $110,794,880 left across two seasons, but the real magic started with a cut. To activate the stretch provision, he agreed to slash $13.9 million off the top. That brought the total stretchable cash down to $96.9 million. With that, the Phoenix Suns unlocked a five-year cushion. Instead of swallowing two seasons of cap chaos, Phoenix lined up a five-year plan worth $19.4 million per year, according to Bobby Marks. One bold haircut, and suddenly the Suns turned a mountain into manageable dust. Now that’s financial finesse with flair.

How will the stretch provision affect Beal’s payment structure?

Here comes the slickest math move in the NBA playbook. Using the league’s stretch formula—(years left on the contract × 2) + 1—Phoenix can spread Bradley Beal’s $96.9 million over 5 seasons (2 × 2) + 1). That brings the annual cap hit to a manageable $19.4 million. But there’s a catch: they must waive and stretch him before August 31. If they do, the desert winds might finally cool their luxury tax flames.

Will Phoenix be able to stretch Beal’s contract under the salary cap rules?

The Suns are dancing on a razor’s edge of the rulebook. NBA guidelines cap stretched salaries at 15% of the salary cap, which in 2025 equals $23,197,050. Phoenix already hit that limit with $23.19 million tied up in Nassir Little, EJ Liddell, and Bradley Beal. So, unless they clear space or restructure deals, stretching Beal’s contract further is a no-go. One more dollar, and it’s violation territory.

Meanwhile, in Milwaukee, the Bucks made a headline-grabbing splash by signing Myles Turner to a four-year deal. But then came the real storm. Damian Lillard, still owed $113 million, was waived and stretched across five seasons. That puts the Milwaukee Bucks in a long-term money bind, with dead cap lingering like smoke after a party. Sure, the frontcourt got better, but at what financial cost?

Unlike Milwaukee, Phoenix avoided the heartbreak of a late-stage stretch. Thanks to Beal shaving off $13.9 million and the Suns already reaching their $23.19 million salary stretch ceiling with Little, Liddell, and Beal himself, the franchise kept its future flexible. No emergency cuts. No luxury tax panic. Just a clean pivot that saved them from turning a star exit into a five-year financial echo.

Bradley Beal turned the page, and Phoenix turned the tide. With a clean exit and clever timing, the Suns dodged the chaos Milwaukee now faces. While the LA Clippers welcome their newest star, Phoenix walks away with financial freedom and future flexibility. No drama, no dead weight, just a silent mic drop from the desert front office.