It’s a Bradley Beal “rejuvenated” and for the less enthusiastic who presented himself at a press conference yesterday, to formalize his arrival at the Suns. It must be said that the rear has something to be fulfilled. After eleven years of career in Washington, here he is for the first time in a team cut for the title.
For him, this trade is a great opportunity at all levels, whether competitively, but also in terms of the game since he will now have the “leisure” to see Devin Booker and Kevin Durant being targeted before him. A perspective that has something to delight him, he who had never had to be confronted with such problems of the rich.
“Good luck, isn’t it?” », did he throw to the teams that will have to deal with the Suns next season. “I’m excited just thinking about it, because I didn’t have those opportunities and the same goes for the other two guys as well as Deandre Ayton. I am happy. The teams are going to defend on Devin and Kevin some nights and I can relax a bit and not deal with so many duels. There will be a few more open shots. I will be able to work a little more on my catch-and-shoot.
It’s up to everyone to push themselves up
If the configuration is scary on paper, Bradley Beal knows that it takes more than a bunch of big names to build a team capable of winning games. If he recognized the aura of a Devin Booker or a Kevin Durant, regularly placing himself below the duo in the hierarchy, he also insisted that the attack would be everyone’s business and not of two (or three) elements.
“I don’t look at the NBA and say, ‘This is my team, this is your team. It’s about everyone. We all have to be competitive. We all have to work together and make things right”he added. “But I also understand that it’s the ‘Book Nation’. I understand that it’s his playground, it’s his arena, and I’m delighted. I’m thrilled to be able to play with two future Hall of Famers. I have never done that. They’re going to push me like I’ve never been. I hope I can do the same”.
At 30, Bradley Beal will therefore evolve within a “Super Team”. Alongside such attackers, he only sees himself progressing, as could have been the case in 2020/21, when he had rubbed shoulders with Russell Westbrook.
In great physical shape
“I will be pushed”he continued about this new environment which will not lack offensive talent. “The last time I was like this was with Russ. Seeing Russ every day, his work ethic, his mentality, it took my game to another level. And I think it will be the same here, with Frank Vogel, a coach who was a champion, with Kevin Durant who won two titles and Book and DA who played in the final. Their mentality will be very different from what I have seen. I think it will take my game to another level, prepare my mentality. I can not wait to be there “.
The icing on the cake, the player said he felt in great physical shape after spending several summers having to recover from physical glitches. It has now been four seasons since he exceeded 60 games in the regular season, a trend he hopes to correct this year, based on a complete preparation.
“I feel much better about my body now. It’s the first summer I’ve had in two or three years where I can train. In previous years, I was injured throughout the year. Last year I was recovering from wrist surgery and couldn’t do anything until October. So this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to train and work on my body, and I take that to heart as best I can.”
| Bradley Beal | Percentage | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Crew | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | party | Int | bp | CT | Points |
| 2012-13 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 | WAS | 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 = Shots made / Shots attempted; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def= defensive rebound; Tot = Total bounces; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost bullets; Ct: Counters; Points = Points.
