Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal probably didn't envision getting swept in the first round of the playoffs when he made the pilgrimage out west, but life is full of unexpected turns. The former Wizard was visibly frustrated after Phoenix fell 122-116 Sunday night, so much so that he slapped head coach Frank Vogel's hand away as he headed to the bench during the game.
After the loss, Beal addressed his pre-game comments, via Forbes Sports' Shane Young.
Of course, this was after he had previously said “I've never been swept a day in my life. I'll be damned if that happens.” The Minnesota Timberwolves social media team made sure to remind him of that quote after the sweep was completed.
Beal continued to lament on the outing, admitting that he's going to have a hard time processing Game 4's events, via PHNX Sports' Gerald Bourguet.
Beal's sad demeanor is understandable, as Sunday night wasn't his finest hour. The Florida alum scored just 9 points on 4-of-13 shooting with one rebound, two assists, and one block across 31 minutes. The subpar outing served as a metaphor for how the Suns played as a whole throughout the series, as they lost by at least two possessions in each game, including two double-digit defeats.
Vogel could be fired as a result of the late-season implosion, via ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski. Beal, however, stuck up for his head coach, via AZ Central's Duane Rankin.
Considering the visible tension between him and Vogel throughout the series, it's hard to imagine that Beal's being entirely truthful here. Players often give diplomatic answers to avoid bombshell headlines and media circuses.
With the Suns now headed to the couch, Beal will have plenty of time to ponder his future. How will the rest of his time in Phoenix play out?
Bradley Beal is unlikely to ever win a championship with the Suns
After 11 years in Washington, Beal understandably longed for greener pastures. The Wizards never gotten past the conference semifinals during his tenure, and it was time to move on to a team with more promise.
The 2012 third-overall draft pick was traded to the Suns last summer, forming a super team with fellow All-Stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker. The issue, though, was Phoenix's lack of depth as a result of the move. The team was left with the likes of Drew Eubanks and Grayson Allen as primary bench players, who averaged 5.7 and 3.5 points per game this past season, respectively.
This was not enough to hang with the top teams in the West. Teams without quality benches rarely win NBA titles, especially when sharing a conference with stacked teams like the Timberwolves, Denver Nuggets, and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Beal performed decently as a third option throughout the regular season, averaging 18.2 points per game on a career-high 51.2% clip from the field. He added 4.4 rebounds, five assists, and one steal across 33.3 minutes. The St. Louis, Missouri native predictably took the least shots per game since his rookie year, with 13.9.
However, due to the team around him, it may be best to once again get out of dodge. Durant isn't getting any younger, and Booker may grow impatient with the organization's futility as he searches for his first ring. The team has no first-round draft picks through 2028 due to previous trades, so it's unlikely to see an influx of young talent anytime soon. Don't be surprised if Beal jumps ship within the next couple of years.
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