Golden State still hasn’t added anyone in free agency, but the soon-to-be-bought-out Bradley Beal is one of a number of veterans that
In an offseason that’s been quiet so far, there’s been one common thread in Golden State Warriors targets: Players who were All-Stars a few years ago who got dumped by their old teams for financial reasons. The newest addition to this group is Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal.
Teams Bradley Beal could consider joining if he is bought out by the Suns include the Clippers, Warriors, Lakers and Bucks, a source tells @FredKatz.
The Suns and Beal are increasingly optimistic that the two sides will agree to terms on a buyout, league sources say.
The goal… pic.twitter.com/1e0bdAS3ib
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 7, 2025
The Suns are reportedly planning to buy out the final two seasons of Beal’s contract in order to waive-and-stretch his contract. That move would put nearly $20M of dead money on their salary cap for each of the next five seasons, but it would get Phoenix below the luxury tax line and potentially save them over $200M in salary and tax payments.
Beal was a disappointment in Phoenix after the Suns traded Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and a whole lot of pick swaps and second-rounders to create a “Big Three” of Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant. But the trio had a lot of injuries and played very little defense as the superteam failed to win a playoff game in 2024 and missed the postseason entirely last season. Now Durant is a member of the Houston Rockets, Booker is about to sign a massive, $150M extension to keep him in Phoenix through 2030, and Beal can become a free agent.
Let’s state right away that the Warriors are not the favorites to sign Beal. That would be the Los Angeles Clippers, who traded Norman Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal that sent John Collins to the Clips and Kevin Love and Forever Warriors Kyle “Slo Mo” Anderson to the Utah Jazz. Not only did the Clippers open up a great deal of playing time for Beal by sending Powell away — their remaining guards are James Harden, Kris Dunn, and Bogdan Bogdanovic — they made it much less likely that the Miami Heat would pursue Beal, after adding Powell.
Plus, the Clippers still have $5.3M left of their non-taxpayer mid-level exception to offer Beal, who will have to give up around $19M in order for Phoenix to use the waive-and-stretch provision. Teams can only spend 15% of the salary cap on stretched deals, and the Suns have done that with Nassir Little and the immortal E.J. Liddell’s contracts already.
While Beal isn’t a perfect fit for the Warriors, he has reportedly “thought about” joining them, which by Summer 2025 standards is a ringing endorsement. Beal just turned 32 years old, so he’s a spring chicken compared to Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green. He averaged 17 points last season and shot 38.3% on three-pointers and nearly 50% overall. Beal moved to a bench role near the end of the season and after some initial reluctance, he thrived in his sixth man role.
Golden State seems to be reserving its own $5.7 taxpayer mid-level exception for Al Horford, who is “destined to land in the Bay Area,” according to Marc Stein. Horford is available thanks to the Boston Celtics shedding payroll after Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, trading Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis for big tax savings. While Beal would be walking away from Phoenix with $97M, he might want to get more than a veteran’s minimum with his new team. Maybe he and Big Al would split the $5.7M?
Damian Lillard, who was waived-and-stretched for even more money by the Milwaukee Bucks ($113M) is another former All-Star that the Warriors are interested in adding, though he seems unlikely to play in 2025-26 after tearing his Achilles in the playoffs. Still, he’s from Oakland and even wears No. 0 as a tribute to the city — maybe that’s why their current No. 0, Gary Payton II, is “doubtful” to return.
Finally, the Warriors could add another likely buyout candidate who fits their criteria:
- Future Hall of Famer
- Ditched for financial reasons
- Old
That’s Kevin Love, who is extremely likely to get a buyout from the Jazz. He’d fit the team’s desire for a floor-stretching big man, seemed to get along swimmingly with Butler in Miami, and can talk to Curry and Horford about being the son of an NBA player and being born while Ronald Reagan was the president.
Honestly, they should try to sign all four players, and watch the endorsements roll in: Life insurance, catheters, LifeAlert systems, the “Matlock” reboot starring Kathy Bates, touch-tone phones with oversized buttons, Depends undergarments — the possibilities are endless.
Sure, it’s unlikely the Warriors add any of these players besides Horford. But if they do pull it off, remember this article when the team unveils their new Werther’s Originals jersey patch.