Bradley Beal and Damian Lillard each wanted to join Miami this summer. Finally, a few hours before the start of the regular season, neither will play for the Heat this season.
We know that the second was transferred to Milwaukee when the first was sent to Phoenix. Which wasn’t really planned at the start.
“Why Phoenix?” Everyone fantasizes about this process, with my no-transfer clause. To tell the truth, it was Phoenix who chose me, tells the back for Andscape. “We can summarize things like this. The Suns were very aggressive. I felt like I was in college again, like I was being recruited. Phoenix came out of nowhere, not being on the map until owner Mat Ishbia contacted me and everything changed. »
At the beginning, the former Washington player wanted to join Miami.
“It was my favorite destination,” he assures. “Therefore, we called Miami. Pat Riley, the president, told me he was going to talk to owner Micky Arison about it to find a solution. We also listened to the Knicks, the Kings, the Nets a little, the Bucks. Every transfer was difficult. »
“The idea of going to Phoenix hadn’t even crossed my mind”
Between Bradley Beal’s huge contract and the new collective bargaining agreement, the options were indeed limited for the Heat and the Bucks.
“I respect and love all the teams but many could not mount such an exchange financially. With the new collective agreement and the luxury tax, many owners did not want to be hit hard by this tax. It’s respectable. If I were an owner and I invested billions of dollars, I would want to make sure it allowed us to win the title. »
Faced with the reluctance of other franchises and with Bradley Beal’s choice not to go to Milwaukee, the aggressiveness of the Suns and its owner paid off.
“I received a call from Mat Ishbia. I asked him if he was going to transfer Devin Booker. The idea of going to Phoenix hadn’t even crossed my mind. They insisted and I nudged my agent. I wondered what Miami was doing. They dragged their feet and, ultimately, Miami gave up. It was an eye opener for me, for sure. Milwaukee was also very close, but the Bucks were going to make a few moves that I didn’t necessarily like in the trade. This is the advantage of having a non-transfer clause, with which we have a say. So many teams wanted me, it’s cool, but deep down I feel like Phoenix chose me. »
| Bradley Beal | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | W.A.S. | 56 | 31 | 41.0 | 38.6 | 78.6 | 0.8 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 2.5 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.6 | 0.5 | 13.9 |
| 2013-14 | W.A.S. | 73 | 35 | 41.9 | 40.2 | 78.8 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.7 | 3.3 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 1.8 | 0.3 | 17.1 |
| 2014-15 | W.A.S. | 63 | 34 | 42.7 | 40.9 | 78.3 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 3.8 | 3.1 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 15.3 |
| 2015-16 | W.A.S. | 55 | 31 | 44.9 | 38.7 | 76.7 | 0.8 | 2.7 | 3.4 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.2 | 17.4 |
| 2016-17 | W.A.S. | 77 | 35 | 48.2 | 40.4 | 82.5 | 0.7 | 2.4 | 3.1 | 3.5 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.0 | 0.3 | 23.1 |
| 2017-18 | W.A.S. | 82 | 36 | 46.0 | 37.5 | 79.1 | 0.7 | 3.7 | 4.4 | 4.6 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 22.7 |
| 2018-19 | W.A.S. | 82 | 37 | 47.5 | 35.1 | 80.8 | 1.1 | 3.9 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 2.8 | 1.5 | 2.7 | 0.7 | 25.6 |
| 2019-20 | W.A.S. | 57 | 36 | 45.5 | 35.3 | 84.2 | 0.9 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 6.1 | 2.2 | 1.3 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 30.5 |
| 2020-21 | W.A.S. | 60 | 36 | 48.5 | 34.9 | 88.9 | 1.2 | 3.5 | 4.7 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 31.3 |
| 2021-22 | W.A.S. | 40 | 36 | 45.1 | 30.0 | 83.3 | 1.0 | 3.8 | 4.7 | 6.6 | 2.4 | 0.9 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 23.2 |
| 2022-23 | W.A.S. | 50 | 34 | 50.6 | 36.5 | 84.2 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 3.9 | 5.4 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 23.2 |
| Total | 695 | 35 | 46.0 | 37.2 | 82.3 | 0.9 | 3.2 | 4.1 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.5 | 0.4 | 22.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
