Winners and losers from Bradley Beal trade to Phoenix Suns

Suns fans have one core thing that should make them both happy and optimistic for the future: After decades under Robert Sarver’s penny-pinching ownership, they have a new owner — Mat Ishbia — willing to go for it, price be damned.

Whether Ishbia’s latest gambit will work out is another question, but the Suns have gone all-in and formed their own “big 3” by trading for Bradley Beal. To make it work they are sending Chris Paul and more to the Wizards. It’s a bold stroke, an all-in move. Let’s look at the details of the trade, such as they are right now:

Phoenix receives: Bradley BealWashington receives: Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, multiple second-round picks, multiple pick swaps.

(The details of the picks and swaps, and possibly a couple of players such as Jordan Goodwin, being in the deal have not been finalized and will reportedly depend partly on what Washington can get in flipping Chris Paul in another trade).

Who won and who lost? It’s not simple, but let’s break it down.

No one can fault the Suns for the mechanics of this trade: They are getting Beal for an absolute steal compared to recent trades for other All-NBA level players (Rudy Gobert cost the Timberwolves five first-round picks, including Walker Kessler, plus four players and a pick swap). Beal’s no-trade clause weighed down the price, but this is still a great trade for the Suns in a vacuum, and they will get it done before July 1 and the new CBA kicks in, which would have made it much more difficult.

This trade makes the Suns contenders if everyone is healthy and things come together for them during the playoffs. Under any circumstances they should be one of the top teams in the West.

Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and a healthy Bradley Beal would be the best