We get it, Brad. We’re stuck. Quit rubbing it in.
Look, I was excited when the Phoenix Suns first acquired Bradley Beal. It was easy to talk yourself into it.
Sometimes, these things don’t work out. It’s clear at this point that it was not the fit that many Suns fans envisioned. The aftermath has gone much worse than anyone could’ve foreseen.
Let’s classify this situation as it is: a disaster. It’s a failed swing they are potentially stuck with. And he’s making sure everyone knows it. He’s gone out of his way multiple times to make sure everyone knows it.
Earlier this season, Beal on trade rumors: “If so, I need to be addressed because I hold the cards,” Beal told reporters in Philadelphia. “Until I’m addressed and somebody says something differently, then I’m going to be a Sun.”
That was the first major red flag. You hold the cards? That sounds like a dig.
Whatever, let’s fast forward and see if he’s actually going to try to make this work or if he’s all talk.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Since then, the Suns have looked worse and lost more games. Things are spiraling internally. Beal has missed more time and been underwhelming on the court.
In a piece on ESPN covering the state of the Suns, Beal had another quote that will leave the organization and fan base rolling its eyes.
“I’m still playing in the NBA, I still have the best job in the world, and I still have my no-trade clause. So I’m smiling every day.”
Yeah, that’s impossible to defend from me. Not much to add there; I’ll let you all disseminate that as you will.
On coming off the bench
“I’m human, so I have to really take a step back and just kind of look at the big picture,” Beal told ESPN. “And my biggest thing is when I came here I want to win. I’ve scored 30 points a game. I’ve been an All-Star. I’ve been All-NBA. I want to win. That’s always been my label — I haven’t won anything. So whatever that looks like for the team, whether that’s me coming up the bench, whether it’s me starting, whether it’s me, whatever it is, I’m going to do it. Do I agree with it? Hell, no, but I’m not going to be that guy.”
Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images
Earlier this year, he was on the record stating: “It’s kinda two-fold. I’m a star in the league, I firmly believe that,” he told reporters. “No disrespect to anybody, but I’m a starter. That’s what I firmly believe. Coach made his decision. I’m not going to sit here and argue with him. I’m not going to sit here and be a distraction. I’m not going to sit here and be an (expletive). He made his decision.”
He essentially reaffirmed his stance on that in a way that sounds like he’s not upset when he so clearly is.
“I enjoy the game, man. This game is fun. I try not to let nobody take the joy out of it for me. It’s very hard. It’s hard. We’re all human beings, man. We have every right to shut down. We have every right to question what’s going on. You have every right to say, ‘Why me?’ But I feel like that just drags you down a little bit more than you need. I’m still playing in the NBA, I still have the best job in the world, and I still have my no-trade clause. So I’m smiling every day.”
The bolded quote just feels so unnecessary to add, given the context. We get it, Brad. Cool.
“It is a different deal in the summer,” Beal said. “Everything is kind of more laid out on the table. You got more options.”
“But [the season is] not over yet, so that’s kind of my mindset,” Beal said. “I’m always going to be the naive guy. I played in D.C. for 11 years, so naive is kind of my middle name. We still haven’t played our best basketball. … We have the toughest [remaining] schedule in the league, too, so it’s a good challenge for us. Either we can s— or get off the pot.”
Join me in rolling your eyes at the last quote. What a disaster.
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