Once a star in Washington, Bradley Beal faded into obscurity during a disappointing two-year stint with the Phoenix Suns. Now, he’s found a way out of the Valley and onto a team with genuine title aspirations in the Los Angeles Clippers. According to Kendrick Perkins, this could be Beal’s final chance to prove his worth.
Advertisement
In Phoenix, the one thing Beal was most revered for — his scoring — took a significant hit. After averaging 31 points per game in 2021, his average dipped to just 17 in 2024. Being the third option behind Devin Booker and Kevin Durant didn’t help either. Now, with the Clippers, Beal has a chance to start fresh.
At 32, the former Wizards guard isn’t a rising star anymore. He’s a veteran with a lot to prove. This chapter with the Clippers could define the rest of his career. There’s no more room for error. What works in Beal’s favor is the makeup of the team.
With the Suns, he was often forced to play off the ball while Durant and Booker controlled most of the offense. That minimized Beal’s effectiveness and rhythm. But in Los Angeles, he’ll have two of the best facilitators in the league beside him, Chris Paul and James Harden.
While talking about Beal’s upcoming stint in LA, Perkins said on ESPN, “He has no choice. This stint right here with the Clippers is gonna determine the future of Bradley Beal. And he’s on the clock right now, and he has no excuses.”
Perkins insisted that Beal has to flourish offensively in the Clippers’ setup. “This is on Bradley Beal, how he is gonna be utilized. Bradley Beal has to come in and do his part. The team is gonna put him in position to be successful.”
Unlike Durant and Booker, Harden and CP3 don’t need to score 30 a night to make an impact. They can orchestrate plays, control the tempo, and create space for Beal to operate as himself. It’s a setup that suits him far better. He’ll still need to defend and bring consistent energy, but the offensive structure is much more in his favor now.
Beal will get every opportunity to thrive. Head coach Ty Lue is known for tweaking roles to get the best out of his players, and the Clippers have enough depth to ease the burden on both ends. But none of that will matter if Beal doesn’t deliver. He’ll need to stay healthy, stay aggressive, and prove he can still be a high-level contributor.
