Setback for the Phoenix Suns as veteran guard Bradley Beal’s ailing back casts doubt on his debut in the season opener against the Golden State Warriors. Dive into the details of the cautious approach, the impactful offseason trade, and the challenges faced by the star trio aiming for Western Conference glory.
The highly anticipated debut of the Phoenix Suns’ newly assembled trio of All-Stars may face a setback as veteran guard Bradley Beal, acquired in the offseason, grapples with an ailing back. According to The Athletic, Beal is unlikely to hit the court when Phoenix kicks off the season against the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday night in San Francisco.
The Suns are adopting a cautious approach to address Beal’s back issues, signaling a delay in the integration of the star trio. Beal joined the Suns in a significant trade with the Washington Wizards in June, involving players like Chris Paul, Landry Shamet, and multiple draft picks.
This acquisition aimed to complement the existing star power of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, forming a formidable lineup with aspirations of contending for a Western Conference title. Despite scoring a combined 22 points over 32 minutes in two preseason games, Beal’s current setback raises concerns about his availability for the season opener.
Beal, at 30 years old, faced a challenging previous season, participating in just 50 games due to injuries and multiple stays on the COVID-19 reserve list. His stats included averages of 23.2 points, 5.4 assists, and 3.9 rebounds per game, with a 36.5 percent shooting accuracy from 3-point range. Over the past two seasons, Beal has been limited to just 90 games.
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Throughout his 11-year career since being drafted third overall by the Wizards in 2012, Beal has been a consistent performer, averaging 22.1 points, 4.3 assists, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game over 695 games, with 661 starts. As a three-time All-Star, he notably finished as the NBA’s second-highest scorer twice (30.5 points per game in 2019-20, 31.3 ppg in 2020-21).