Why Bradley Beal-Suns Trade Reportedly Might Be Held Up

While it remains likely that Bradley Beal is traded from the Washington Wizards to the Phoenix Suns, there is one aspect of the deal’s initially reported framework which might be tweaked.

And it reportedly has to do with where veteran point guard Chris Paul will play next.

Phoenix was set to land Beal in a trade for Paul, Landry Shamet, several second-round draft picks and pick swaps, as first reported Sunday evening by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

However, about an hour after that report, which was simultaneously reported by the Athletic’s Shams Charania, Wojnarowski followed up and said the deal could be held up because Washington is attempting to field offers from a third team. Adding a third team, according to Wojnarowski, would be done to ensure Paul lands somewhere other than the nation’s capital.

Turner Sports’ Chris Haynes followed up one minute later and shared how the Wizards are likely to reroute Paul to another team with the Los Angeles Clippers “expected to pursue” a reunion.

The Athletic’s Josh Robbins reported that while Washington would like to have Paul on its team, if Paul decides in the “next few days” he wants to be on a contender, the Wizards would work with the Suns to find a third team. In a previous report, Wojnarowski indicated the deal could take a few days to be finalized, as well.