Talking to reporters after the sport, Beal mentioned he doesn’t contemplate himself a bench participant, however made it clear he doesn’t intend to make waves by pushing again in opposition to head coach Mike Budenholzer‘s determination to make lineup changes.
“I’m a starter within the league. I firmly consider that,” Beal mentioned, per Duane Rankin of The Arizona Republic. “No disrespect to anyone, however I’m a starter and that’s what I firmly consider, however Coach made his determination. I’m not going to take a seat there and argue with him. I’m not going to take a seat right here and be a distraction. I’m not going to take a seat right here and be an a–gap. He made his determination. Received to stay with it.”
Regardless of coming off the bench, Beal logged the third-most minutes amongst Suns gamers on Monday, behind solely Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, which means that his workload could not change considerably even when he’s not considered one of Phoenix’s first 5 gamers on the court docket. Ryan Dunn, the Suns’ gifted rookie wing defender, stepped into the lineup in Beal’s place, and was lauded by his veteran teammate for the way he dealt with the promotion, notes Rankin.
“My first thought course of was him,” Beal mentioned. “He’s thrown within the hearth and the combo of every little thing. He doesn’t actually get to take pleasure in beginning as a younger rookie within the league. That’s large. Everyone is so caught up in my s–t and no matter is occurring (with me). … I advised him earlier than the sport, ‘Simply lock in. Simply be you. Preserve taking part in the best way you’ve been taking part in. You ain’t doing nothing unsuitable. Keep locked in and be you.’ And he did that and I’m so pleased with him.”
Beal’s remark in regards to the media specializing in “my s–t and no matter is occurring” with him was presumably a reference not solely to the truth that he got here off the bench for the primary time since March 2016, but additionally to the commerce rumors swirling round him.
Stories have frequently linked Warmth ahead Jimmy Butler to the Suns, with Chris Mannix of SI.com citing executives who say that Butler’s camp has made it clear Phoenix is his “one desired vacation spot.” Beal would virtually actually should be included in any deal for Butler because of Phoenix’s second-apron restrictions. Crucially, he’d additionally should approve the deal, since he holds a no-trade clause.
“(The Suns) completely are attempting to commerce Bradley Beal,” ESPN’s Brian Windhorst mentioned throughout a “First Take” appearance on Tuesday. “… So that they put him on the bench. Now it’s possible you’ll say, ‘Why would you do this? If you happen to’re making an attempt to commerce a participant, why would you place him on the bench?’ And that’s as a result of…the one means they’ll commerce him is that if he says, ‘I’m OK to be traded.’ So as an alternative of making an attempt to construct him up, they should violate the cardinal rule (of boosting a participant’s commerce worth) and put him on the bench.
“Now I do know that there have been schematic the reason why they did it, and Mike Budenholzer tried to clarify. However they’re mainly making an attempt to make him really feel unwelcome in Phoenix in order that he’ll waive that no-trade clause.”
Whereas there’s a belief that Beal would settle for a commerce to Miami, the Warmth reportedly have little interest in buying him because of his no-trade clause and the 2 years and $111M left on his deal past this season. Meaning if the Suns need to land Butler, they’ll should discover a third staff prepared to tackle Beal and his large contract.
Requested after Monday’s recreation if he believes the demotion to the bench is expounded to a possible commerce, Beal reminded reporters that he’ll have a say in that course of.
“If that’s the case, I must be addressed as a result of I maintain the playing cards,” Beal mentioned, in line with Rankin. “Till I’m addressed and any person says one thing totally different, then I’ll be a Solar.”
