Bradley Beal’s return to Phoenix on Thursday was anything but warm. The Clippers guard was booed throughout the game by Suns fans and admitted afterward that his two seasons in Phoenix weren’t fond ones.
Beal finished with just five points on 2-of-14 shooting in 19 minutes before being benched in the third quarter of a 13-point loss.
Acquired by the Suns in 2023 to form a “Big Three” with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant, Beal’s time in Phoenix was derailed by injuries and what he described as misuse by coaches Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer.
“When you allow me to be that guy, I’ll be that,” he said. “But when you have two coaches that want you to set screens and play in the dunker, you’re not Brad Beal. You’re somebody else.”
Beal agreed to a buyout over the summer, giving back $13.9 million before signing a two-year, $11 million deal with the Clippers.
He downplayed the boos, saying, “To me, it wasn’t about get back. … It was more meaningful for me to go back to D.C. and play.”
Still recovering from offseason knee surgery, Beal remains on a minutes restriction and hasn’t played a fourth quarter yet this season.
Despite the reaction from Suns fans, he showed sportsmanship after the game, signing autographs and greeting former teammates.
“That’s basketball,” he said. “It happens. How you bounce back and respond is a testament to your character.”
Bradley Beal Criticizes Usage With Suns In Return To Phoenix https://t.co/GD1oG7RPsg pic.twitter.com/QPgq60OKtf
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) November 7, 2025
