It will be seen as one of the most iconic plays in NBA history. The game was tied 89 to 89 in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals, and with under two minutes left the Warriors had a 2-on-1 fast break led by Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala, with the latter receiving the ball to make an easy lay-up under JR Smith. However, out of nowhere, Lebron pulled off one of his signature chase-down blocks to deny the bucket. It propelled the Cleveland Cavaliers to complete the comeback, and it famously occurred on Father’s Day. In 2023, the brilliance of the Denver Nuggets denied us the chance of seeing another jaw-dropping play made in the biggest moments in Game 7 of the Finals. However, on Father’s Day, the NBA had somehow clawed its way into the headlines through a blockbuster trade. The trade will see the Phoenix Suns acquiring Bradley Beal, Jordan Goodwin, and Isaiah Todd while the Wizards will receive Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks, and multiple pick swaps. Ironically, the deal was agreed between Beal’s Agent, Mark Bartelstein, and his father, Suns’ CEO, Josh Bartelstein. The critics and cynics will feel like the relationship resulted in tampering, which is a separate discussion. However, the aftermath of this trade will have far-reaching ramifications for the upcoming season.
1. Super- talented offense-Beale will take his talent to the desert and join forces with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. The trio formed has 19 All-Star appearances, and it is almost certain to rise after this season. Durant is a tremendous shooter, and scorer, and after back-to-back disappointing postseason, he will be seeking to make amends by lighting up the scoreboard. Booker showed in the postseason that he will not defer to even Durant and can initiate the offense in the playoffs by averaging 33.7pts and 7.2 assists per game. Beale brings another consistent scorer to the squad who is an improvement over Chris Paul. This team is poised to lead the league in scoring with this firepower, and the team will be a must-watch on the road and on national television. Defenders around the league will find it a challenge to slow down this team because of the multiple players who can score off the dribble and create their shots. However, this team will not want to be about entertainment, but the goal is to win a championship.
2. Health, Defense, and Depth could derail their chances-despite the acquisition of Bradley Beal, I still do not feel the Suns should automatically be considered the favorites for the title. Beal will improve the team from an offensive standpoint as an upgrade over Chris Paul, but there are questions about the team defensively. The trio are not natural defenders, and Deandre Ayton has struggled to show his physicality against the league’s best big man. Also, the team has to fill out its roster with only five players under contract. The team will likely try to bring back players like Torey Craig, Damion Lee, and Jock Landale on minimum deals, but will that be enough to win the title? No. Therefore, it is likely that they will have to trade Ayton to get some supplementary pieces. Still, another question mark for this team is health. Beal and Durrant have struggled in the past three seasons to remain healthy and play most of the regular season. Even Booker had injury problems last season, and it remains to be seen whether these players will be available to lead this squad on the floor.
3. No trade clause should not be allowed- another takeaway from this trade is that teams should refrain from giving a player a no-trade clause in their contract. The Wizards must feel like they just got scammed because the All-Star Guard could only give them an aging point guard, a backup, and second-round picks. Last season, the Timberwolves gave up four 1st round picks for Rudy Gobert, and I believe Beal is a better overall player than the French center. The Wizards were desperate to retain their franchise player in Beal, but this is a cautionary tale of how a no-trade clause puts a team in a bind. The Wizards would have gotten a better package if there was an open market, and the Suns were not bidding against themselves. In the end, Beal got his dream move, and the Wizard might as well do a rebuild by getting what they can for Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Kuzma.