PHOENIX — It's official! The Phoenix Suns now officially have their big three: Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and newly acquired guard Bradley Beal.
Beal met the Valley media Thursday at his introductory press conference at his new home, the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix.
Eleven years ago, Beal was drafted by the Washington Wizards on his 19th birthday. After spending his entire 20s in D.C., Beal is starting a new chapter in his life a day after his 30th birthday.
"I feel refreshed, I feel rejuvenated," Beal said wearing the same tie he wore on draft night back in 2012. "This is an exciting moment for me. This is an awesome team."
"Bradley Beal is one the best players in the NBA," Suns head coach Frank Vogel added. "We're thrilled to have him be a Phoenix Sun with (Kevin Durant) and (Devin Booker). That forms a trio of three of the most prolific scorers in the game."
Vogel said adding Beal brings the Suns "tremendously closer" to winning an NBA title and now for the first time in Beal's career, he's surrounded by elite players. Beal expects more open shots in Phoenix, especially with Booker and Durant on the same floor.
"Good luck with that," Beal joked when asked how other teams stop that trio. "I'm excited to play with two Hall of Famers. I've never done that. I'm excited about what that brings. They'll push me in ways I've never been pushed and hopefully, I'll do the same. I get antsy just thinking about it because I haven't had those opportunities. The biggest box we check is unselfishness and the biggest thing, we want to win. Hopefully, we can chase this ring."
Beal mentioned it doesn’t matter who plays point guard or shooting guard between him and Booker. It will be interchangeable, positionless basketball, and whoever gets the ball first will bring it up the floor.
“We want to play with pace,” Vogel said. "We’re going to have a multiple ball handler attack. But I love the fact that both Bradley and Devin have played point at phases of their career and can initiate offense, as can KD. We also want to see how the rest of the roster shakes out. See if we add a point guard. Cam Payne will be in the mix. All those decisions will play out in camp.”
Beal, a 3-time All-Star, comes with some playoff experience (5 postseason appearances in 11 years), but has never been a part of a team with real nightly championship expectations until now.
"I'm super ecstatic that every single day I have a chance to play in a meaningful game,” Beal said. “I think that's one of the biggest decisions that impacted me coming here. Knowing every single night I'm going to be in an important game. I may have a chance of being on television every single night. (Other) teams are going to give us their best, so I look forward to that challenge. We’re kind of a targeted team, so every single night I got to lace them up.”
Beal is also excited to play with a center like Deandre Ayton. DA has been part of trade rumors this offseason, but the team has recently decided to move forward with him on the roster.
"I'm excited about it," Beal said. "I haven't had a chance to play with that type of talent level, ever. So it's going to be new for me. It's going to be a lot. It's going to be challenging, but I'm accepting the challenge in front of me. I'm accepting the work. I'm excited about it. I think DA can be a huge piece to our team. I see his value.”
“(Ayton) is one of the best two-way centers in the game,” Vogel added. “I think he's going to be a defensive anchor for us. I've long utilized his skill set in my defensive scheme to build a dominant defense. I think there's a lot that we can untap offensively with him as well. So he's a pivotal part of what we're going to accomplish this year.”
But Beal understands whose house he’s playing in. “This is Book Nation,” Beal said while smiling. “(I) Understand that this is his stomping grounds and this is his arena.”
Beal also had his first ‘welcome to Phoenix’ moment.
“When does it stop being 115 and steaming hot,” Beal said laughing. “I want to learn a lot about the Valley. Book is always in Flagstaff every week, so he's telling me he's going to take me camping. I've never been camping so please pray for me. I love to be in the community. So whatever you guys got, I'm always open arms. I'm always an open book. Excited about everything.”
The Suns acquired Beal, Jordan Goodwin and Isaiah Todd in a three-team deal, which saw the Suns trade Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and second-round draft picks in 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027, and 2030, along with first-round draft pick swaps in 2024, 2026, 2028, and 2030 to the Wizards.
The Suns sent a second-round draft pick in 2028 to the Indiana Pacers as part of the deal.
The Wizards and Pacers also traded their first-round picks in last week's NBA Draft and the Wizards sent a 2029 second-round draft pick to the Pacers to complete the trade.
The Wizards later traded Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors.
