After more than a decade playing for The Wizards, Bradley Beal is more than ready for the next chapter in his NBA career. Although he’s had minor success, he’s mostly suffered disappointments in Washington, which is why he’s excited to be part of a title-chasing franchise.
The three-time All-Star just turned 30 this past Wednesday, and a day later he was officially introduced by the Suns at a welcome press conference at the Imprint Center in Phoenix. Just a week ago, he waived a no-trade clause that saw him fly to Arizona in exchange for veteran superstars Chris Paul, Landry Shamet and some future picks.
“I feel fresh, I feel energized,” the player admitted. “This is an exciting moment for me. This is a great team.”
That means Bell is now part of one of the rosters with the most stars in the league, including another three-time All-Star Devin Booker, former top-ranked Deandre Ayton, and of course, generational athlete Kevin Durant. With new championship-winning coach Frank Vogel, they may have a chance in this upcoming campaign.
Take a look at the former Wizard star’s official introduction in the following video:
“Bradley Bell is one of the best players in the NBA,” said the former Lakers coach. “We are thrilled to have Phoenix Sun with KD and Book. This forms a trio of three of the most prolific scorers in the game. A great two-way center, one of the best two-way centers in the game.
“These pieces are a great foundation for what we hope will be a championship run for this franchise.”
The move is just the latest trick from new owner Matt Ishpia, who has been dealing in blockbuster deals since arriving in Arizona just before the February transfer deadline.
Beal has been a guarantee of dropping big numbers as he averaged 20 points per game in all of his last seven seasons in Washington, including the 31.3 he scored three years earlier.
As for Phoenix, a team that has made it to the latter stages of the conference in recent years, it may finally be the podium that will take the 30-year-old to the second round of the playoffs for the first time in his career.
“I have a lot of emotional connections with that city, my family was founded there,” Bell admitted. “So I just want to take a moment to thank the city of D.C., and thank the organization for allowing this partnership to happen.”
Bell shared how excited he feels about sharing the court with two of Arizona’s most famous court runners
Although the Ranger feels some nostalgia after leaving his loved ones in Washington, he also shared how excited he feels about this new challenge.
“I’m excited to play with two Hall of Famers, I’ve never done that before,” Bell said. “I’m excited about what that brings. They’re going to push me in ways I’ve never been pressured into before and I hope to do the same.”
The arrival of the new star also means the Phoenix franchise will have to contend with a salary cap, as Durant, Booker, Ayton, and now Beal’s payrolls will bring in more than $160 million in the upcoming campaign.
But for now, Vogel’s team will focus on finding the right formula on the court to bring the long-awaited first-ever NBA Championship to Arizona. “Hopefully we can chase that ring down,” said the newcomer.