The Feb. 4 matchup of the Phoenix Suns vs the Washington Wizards was one to watch.
However, it wasn’t because the game was close. The end score was 140-112. It was because of Bradley Beal’s performance against them.
Beal ended the game with 43 points and six assists with great efficiency. He only missed a total of five shots.
Basically, it felt like he could do anything he wanted on the court and reminded everyone just how elite Beal can be. But this isn’t the only message this game sent.
This performance also displayed just how much Beal’s role has changed over the course of his 12-year NBA career.
Early Wizards Days
When Bradley Beal got drafted by the Wizards in the 2012 draft, there was already a rising star in Washington: John Wall.
Wall was energetic, fast, and a great playmaker. Here are some of his highlight plays below:
In his first two seasons, Wall averaged 16.3 points, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals on 41.6% from the field on 23.1% from three. As shown, Wall was doing well for a player just entering the NBA, but his weaknesses were glaring.
Particularly, he wasn’t efficient and couldn’t shoot very well, so the Wizards had to look for those skill sets in the draft. That choice led them to Bradley Beal.
His rookie season (the 2012-13 season), Beal averaged 13.9 points on 41.9% from the field and 38.6% from three. Like Wall, they weren’t numbers that stood out, but they showed potential.
Therefore, with Beal being a good shooter (whether it was off the dribble or catch and shoot) and Wall being an athletic driver and smart playmaker, they were a great match.
They were a one-two punch, and, through time, they became a good one. In the 2013-14 season, they lead their team to the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Directly after, in the 2014-15 season, they managed to match that playoff milestone.
Of course, they didn’t make it all the way, but, for a young team like this, it was significant progress. However, a shift was beginning to happen.
The Shift
By the 2016-17 season, things were looking bright for the Washington Wizards. Wall was named to his fourth straight All-Star team, Bradley Beal was a much-improved shooter (now shooting 40% from three), and the Wizards’ record was 49-33 (one of their best records in decades).
They took that success to the post-season where they had one of the more entertaining matchups against Boston, despite the eventual loss. Here are some highlights of a nail-biting Game 6:
Unfortunately, this would be their peak. After this season, John Wall seemed to fall off a cliff in multiple aspects.
In the 2017-18 season, Wall went from:
-playing 78 games and to 41 games (due to injuries)
-23.1 points to 19.4 points
-45.1% from the field to 42.1%
-80.1% from the free throw line to 72.6%
The only aspects of his game that didn’t seem to regress were his 3-point percentage and assists. His assists stay consistent at around 9.6 while his 3-point percentage improved to 37.1%.
During his time out, Beal had to step up and ended the season averaging 22.6 points on 46% from the field and 37.5% from three. He even managed to get his first all-star selection.
When Wall came back in the playoffs, he put up good numbers, but the team lacked synergy and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
The next season, Wall played even fewer games at 32 and the team seemed to have major locker room issues coming to light. So, again, they turned to Beal to be the leader in his absence.
By the 2019-20 season, Wall was out again. But this time, he was injured for the entire season, leaving Beal as the irrefutable “Guy”/number one option for the Wizards.
Being the “Guy”
In his first season being the “Guy” Bradley Beal averaged 30.5 points and 6.1 assists on 45.5% from the field and 35.5% from three.
He never seemed like he was uncomfortable on a game-by-game basis and did whatever he wanted on the court. He couldn’t make the all-star team due to the Wizards having a bad record of 25-47 but he was in conversations.
Seeing this performance, the Wizards decided to make changes in the 2020-21 season.
Specifically, they moved on from Wall by trading him to the Rockets for Russell Westbrook. Despite hurting, Beal accepted their decision. Here are some of his thoughts on the trade below:
This move sent the message that they were building around Beal and only time would tell how it would turn out.
Fortunately, Westbrook remained elite.
That season Westbrook averaged a triple-double of 22.2 points, 11.7 assists, and 11.5 rebounds. Beal averaged 31.3 points on 48.5% from the field and 34.9% from three.
Basically, Russ was the Robin to Beal’s Batman.
However, due to the Wizards being the eighth seed at 34-38, they decided to reset again by trading Westbrook to the Lakers. Again, leaving Beal without a clear number two.
After that season, Bradley played two more seasons as a Wizard. Altogether, he averaged 23.2 points and six assists on 48% from the field and 33.3% from three. However, he dealt with injuries, so he only was able to play 90 of the 164 regular season games.
By the 2023 off-season, the Wizards were looking to rebuild, so they were planning to move Beal to another team. That team happened to be the Phoenix Suns.
The Beal of Today
As a Phoenix Sun, Beal is averaging 18.1 points and 4.6 assists on 49.6% from the field and 34.5% from three. These stats are a far cry from the 30-point seasons of the past, but his role is much different now.
Instead of being one half of a duo or the number one option, he is now part of a big three with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, which can make roles more complicated.
But, so far, it seems to depend on the performance of each player during each. Some days, it will be Booker. Other days it will be Kevin Durant. Other days it will be Beal (like it was on Feb. 4).
Essentially, not only Beal’s but Booker’s and Durant’s roles are constantly changing game-by-game. In other words, their roles are ever-changing.
However, out of all three, Beal’s role seems to have changed the most. As shown, despite being on two teams, his role seemed to go through so many changes to the point where some players would fold under pressure.
But Beal never did. He’s a great addition to the Suns and whatever his role is game night, he’ll always deliver to the best of his ability.
Stay tuned for more NBA content, including midseason moves, contract updates, and more pieces about every team.
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- Source: https://thegamehaus.com/nba/bradley-beal-an-ever-changing-role/2024/02/06/
