Chatting with reporters after the sport, Beal mentioned he doesn’t think about 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 imagine 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 imagine, 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. Acquired 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 huge. All people is so caught up in my s–t and no matter is occurring (with me). … I instructed him earlier than the sport, ‘Simply lock in. Simply be you. Maintain enjoying the best way you’ve been enjoying. You ain’t doing nothing unsuitable. Keep locked in and be you.’ And he did that and I’m so happy with him.”
Beal’s remark concerning 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 regularly 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 definitely need to be included in any deal for Butler as a result of Phoenix’s second-apron restrictions. Crucially, he’d additionally need to 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. “… In order that they put him on the bench. Now it’s possible you’ll say, ‘Why would you try this? If you happen to’re attempting to commerce a participant, why would you set him on the bench?’ And that’s as a result of…the one approach they’ll commerce him is that if he says, ‘I’m OK to be traded.’ So as an alternative of attempting to construct him up, they need to 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 explanation why they did it, and Mike Budenholzer tried to elucidate. However they’re mainly attempting 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 no real interest in buying him as a result of his no-trade clause and the 2 years and $111M left on his deal past this season. Which means if the Suns wish to land Butler, they’ll need to discover a third staff keen to tackle Beal and his large contract.
Requested after Monday’s sport if he believes the demotion to the bench is said to a possible commerce, Beal reminded reporters that he’ll have a say in that course of.
“In that case, I have to be addressed as a result of I maintain the playing cards,” Beal mentioned, in response to Rankin. “Till I’m addressed and someone says one thing completely different, then I’ll be a Solar.”
