Suns Player Profile: Bradley Beal Enters First Season in the Valley

Bradley Beal enters his first season in Phoenix as possibly the biggest x-factor in their title pursuit.

The NBA world was put on notice when the Phoenix Suns sent Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple second-round picks to the Washington Wizards for the multi-time all star Bradley Beal back in June. The move instantly built possibly the most potent big-three in the NBA since The Brooklyn Nets trio of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.

Beal was picked 3rd overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by Washington, and was quite accomplished in 11 seasons in DC. Beal's accolades included an All-NBA rookie first team, three All-Star selections, and an All-NBA bid in 2021. 

Beal finished as the second-highest scorer in Wizards history, including two seasons averaging over 30 points a contest prior to leaving.

Beal chose to play for Phoenix after waiving the no-trade clause included in his last contract extension.

Although there were pressing questions about how strong Beal )a traditional 2-guard) would fit in a revamped Suns offense, taking a deep dive into the University of Florida product's game should quell any concerns fans may have.

Off-ball Offense

Beal has long been touted among the best off-ball players in the game. The guard isn't an incredible athlete, but is more than willing to make timely cuts, move around the perimeter, and get in the best positions possible to create advantages for the offense.

The video below is a testament to how strong Beal is off-ball. He uses a split-second read to move towards the ball, using Kuzma as a de-facto screen on P.J Tucker. He then recognizes the help on the weak side is Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris. Beal makes a lighting-quick cut to the hoop for an easy finish as Rui Hachimura fed him in-stride while the slow-footed Georges Niang reacted to slow to effectively help. 

Beal is one of the best off-ball players in basketball still, and that should translate even better next to two superstars and hoards of shooters. 

Bradley Beal is an absurd off ball player. pic.twitter.com/dAvO76ovFP

— RB (@RyB_311) July 4, 2023

Playmaking

Playmaking may be the most underrated aspect of the guard's game. Typically seen as a traditional shooting guard that is score-first, Beal has shockingly impressive playmaking numbers.

Beal has been one of the best at setting his teammates up at the rim, while also having some of the best scoring gravity and finishing ability among guards in the league.

On/Off % difference in TEAMMATE RIM FGM/75 of some elite guards since 2014.

Steph: +38.9%
Lillard: +21.4%
Harden: +21.3%
Beal: +20.4%
Luka: +15.6%
CP3: +15.5%
Lowry: +15.2%
Kyrie: +12.6%
Russ: +8.1%
Wall: +5.5%

The best at generating the most efficient shot in basketball. https://t.co/drpVEjQaUo

— Automatic (@automaticnba) October 6, 2023

One could argue that much of Beal's playmaking correlates more with his overall scoring gravity than a penchant to make plays for others, but that same gravity is what will make his pension to create so much easier surrounded by stronger talent. 

Some Bradley Beal Notable Basketball Index Percentiles from 2022-23:

96.3% Percentile for Box Creation
95.6% for Finishing Talent
95.3% for Gravity
90.3% Playmaking Talent

Only three players exceeded these percentiles this season:

Luka Doncic
Nikola Jokic
Damian Lillard pic.twitter.com/4YZHR0OPGU

— Karan (@karanjn2) June 19, 2023

Beal's high IQ, ability to find the open man, and relative unselfishness (17.6 FGA per game for his career) make him a great fit next to Booker, Durant, Nurkic, and the rest of the squad.

Driving Ability 

One of the biggest takeaways from yesterday's game against Detroit is Phoenix might be more open to attacking the basket, and Beal potentially may play a huge role in the shift in offensive philosophy. 

Beal's shot diet for his career is pretty evenly distributed, but the range of 0-3 feet accounts for the second most attempts in his career behind three-point attempts. Beal also finishes at the rim at a rate of 67%, which is very good for a guard.

Beal's ability to get to the rim will be beneficial to Phoenix as a whole. Although he isn't the freak athlete a player such as Ja Morant is, he is extremely slithery and elusive as a driver, while also being great at anticipating defenders next moves. 

Beal is truly a three-level scorer and hopefully will inspire his co-stars to get to the rim more to create an even more potent offense this season.

The now 12-year vet will be a big headline this NBA season, as the narratives surrounding his perceived low-impact style of play will follow until the winning starts. Beal is also eyeing to be one of the twelve players invited to play for Team USA in the 2024 Olympics, and this upcoming season could boost his stock back to where it was even two years ago.

On Bradley Beal's rim pressure as a driver, constant movement as an off-ball cutter and a few other areas where he'll make the Suns more dangerous: https://t.co/9rNiP1dqNw pic.twitter.com/oyRLTncCKw

— Gerald Bourguet (@GeraldBourguet) August 14, 2023

Beal's regular season debut for Phoenix will be October 24th as the Golden State Warriors host the Suns on opening night. His home debut will have to wait until October 28th, when the Utah Jazz come to town.