PHOENIX (AP) — Three-time All-Star guard Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns agreed to a buyout on the two years remaining on his contract, a person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press on Wednesday.
The person spoke to the AP about Beal’s buyout on condition of anonymity because the deal hasn’t been officially announced.
The move paves the way for Beal to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Clippers that includes a player option after he clears waivers, ESPN reported.
Beal is expected to give back $13.9 million of the $110 million he's owed from the Suns, which allows Phoenix more flexibility as it tries to rebuild its roster.
It's been a busy summer for the Suns, which also dealt 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for a package that included Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks and the No. 10 overall pick in this year's draft, which the Suns used to select Duke center Khaman Maluach.
The 32-year-old Beal would join a veteran Clippers roster that includes James Harden and Kawhi Leonard. Beal averaged 17.6 points over two disappointing, injury-filled seasons with the Suns.
Beal averaged a career-high 31.3 points per game during the 2020-21 season for the Washington Wizards, but his production has slowly declined since that point as injuries have taken a toll. He's missed at least 29 regular-season games with various ailments in each of the past four seasons.
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FILE - Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (3) dribbles against the Oklahoma City Thunder during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, April 9, 2025, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Karl-Anthony Towns' first two baskets of the NBA Finals were like countless others in his career. The New York forward got the ball 30 feet from the basket, surveyed the scene, drove right past his defender and scored at the rim.
These buckets, however, were not ordinary.
They were against Victor Wembanyama.
Towns helped set a tone for the Knicks in Game 1 on Wednesday night by going right at San Antonio's best player — and the unanimous pick as Defensive Player of the Year — twice in the opening minutes. Towns didn't get any more field goals against Wembanyama over the remainder of the game and didn't have to, finishing with 18 points in New York's 105-95 win.
“You just trust your work and you trust your decision-making, and I always say about being aggressive in playmaking: It may not be for the shot or get someone else a shot or get the hockey assist going,” Towns said. “For me, when I go out there, I try to be aggressive in playmaking.”
That holds true against the best defensive player on the planet.
The Knicks did a lot right in Game 1, but perhaps tops on that list was not letting the 7-foor-4 Wembanyama take over the game or even get into a rhythm on either side of the court. Wembanyama scored 26 points — on 6-for-21 shooting from the floor — and got a text from former Spurs coach Gregg Popovich between the end of Game 1 and Thursday afternoon's practice.
The message from Pop? That “I’ve been bad and I’m better than this,” Wembanyama revealed.
While that may be true, the Knicks believe Towns deserved a lot of credit for not letting Wembanyama become completely dominant in the series opener.
“Wemby, man, obviously iconic player, you’re not going to stop him, you hope he misses,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said. “You've got to throw different people, different coverages at him. You got to try not to send him to the free-throw line. We sent him to the free-throw line 13 times, but KAT himself did a pretty decent job of trying to lead with his chest while being physical. Again, I think it’s all due to him wanting to do whatever he can to help the team while being present.”
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New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots between San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) and forward Julian Champagnie (30) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) looks down as New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) looks towards his bench during the second half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) shoots past San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) during the first half of Game 1 of the NBA Finals basketball series, Wednesday, June 3, 2026, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
