Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
2023-24 stats: 18.1 ppg, 5.0 apg, 4.3 rpg, 1.0 spg, 0.5 bpg, 50.8 FG%, 43.0 3P% in 57 games
Salary ranking: No. 6 ($46,741,590)
The Suns took a huge risk trading for Bradley Beal and his monster, no-trade-clause-backed contract, and truth be told, it didn’t really pay off, as the the team struggled to acclimate to play around three ball-dominant stars, two of whom play the same position, falling in the first round of the playoffs.
Beal’s mediocre ball-handling meant that Booker had to run lead guard more often for Phoenix and he handled his duties wonderfully, putting up huge numbers and earning All-Star and 3rd Team All-NBA honors.
It was Beal who struggled a bit despite respectable enough averages and certainly struggled compared to his salary, which had him earning the sixth-most money of any player in 2023-24. Injuries have also been an issue for the former Florida Gator, who hasn’t played more than 60 regular-season games since 2018-19.
We’ll see if Beal’s able to regain at least that All-Star form in 2024-25 under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. For now, we have him barely ranked among the Top 100 players in the league.
