Mark and Josh Bartelstein were well-accustomed to the typical jokes regarding player situations and their potential impact on family gatherings. Yet, often, reality proved stranger than such lighthearted humor.
On Wednesday, Mark Bartelstein, CEO of Priority Sports, and his son, Josh Bartelstein, CEO of the Phoenix Suns, finalized a substantial $99 million buyout agreement for their mutual client, star player Bradley Beal, bringing an end to a protracted, months-long negotiation.
Their family calendar was packed: Josh’s 36th birthday celebration was set for Thursday in Chicago, followed by a major family wedding over the weekend for Courtney, Mark’s daughter and Josh’s sister, and her fiancé, Max.
Josh Bartelstein commented, “I expect to make a few jokes when I get the microphone. My mom and grandmas will certainly enjoy it.”
Following the wedding, Mark Bartelstein is slated to finalize Bradley Beal’s two-year, $11 million contract to join the LA Clippers. This move, as he informed Shams Charania, marks a remarkable offseason for the Clippers and concludes what had been a challenging two-year period for both the Suns and Beal.
The Three Stages of Beal`s Departure from Phoenix
Bradley Beal`s exit from the Phoenix Suns transpired in three key stages.
1. The Initial Assessment and Beal`s Decision
In early June, following an extensive search, new head coach Jordan Ott met with Beal to outline his proposed role for the upcoming season. Beal was coming off a season where his usage rate was the lowest of his career, with his role having diminished significantly under former coach Mike Budenholzer, who had even benched him from the starting lineup for six weeks.
While Beal’s individual statistics remained respectable, averaging 17 points with nearly 50% overall shooting and just under 40% from three-point range, his $50 million maximum salary, coupled with the team’s significant underperformance, meant his production failed to meet expectations or justify his considerable cost.
During his pitch, Ott implied that the Suns hadn`t entirely dismissed the idea of retaining Beal for the next season. This was not surprising, given that Beal still had two years and $113 million left on his contract, along with a no-trade clause that had severely limited the Suns` ability to move him the previous winter.
Beal acknowledged Ott`s efforts, but following post-season discussions with Bartelstein to evaluate the situation, he had already concluded that he needed to depart Phoenix if an opportunity arose.
Mark Bartelstein stated, “We couldn`t risk another unproductive year. This decision was purely driven by basketball; Bradley wants to compete in significant games and moments.”
2. The Kevin Durant Trade and Beal`s Undefined Role
On June 22, the Suns reached an agreement to trade superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. The trade package included 23-year-old guard Jalen Green, whom the Suns identified as a crucial new perimeter cornerstone alongside Devin Booker.
Before accepting the Rockets’ offer, the Suns engaged in extensive discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves about a Durant trade, seeking a package that included star center Rudy Gobert, guard Donte DiVincenzo, promising forward Terrence Shannon Jr., and the 17th pick in this year’s draft. Had that deal materialized, Beal would have likely remained in the lineup, and keeping him might have become a team priority.
However, Durant had made it clear that the Timberwolves were not among his preferred destinations. With only one season remaining on his contract, Durant held significant leverage, and discussions consequently stalled. The subsequent deal the Suns made with Houston was geared towards youth, and with Jalen Green on board, Beal’s role became, at best, undefined.
Shortly thereafter, the Suns granted Beal and Bartelstein permission to engage with other teams about a potential buyout, signaling that Beal`s time in Phoenix was drawing to a close. Over 20 teams expressed interest, and Beal eventually conducted Zoom meetings with about six of them to discuss how he might fit into their rosters.
3. The Clippers` Pursuit and Harden`s Influence
On July 7, the Clippers executed a three-team trade, sending starting shooting guard Norman Powell to the Miami Heat and acquiring John Collins from the Utah Jazz, who would become their new starting power forward.
The Clippers were already among the teams that had expressed interest in Beal and were on his preferred list. When the Powell trade occurred, discussions rapidly intensified. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and head coach Ty Lue, who shares a long-standing relationship with Beal due to their shared Missouri roots, personally spoke with Beal about the Clippers` proposal.
However, the decisive influence came from James Harden, who not only urged the Clippers’ front office to pursue Beal but also directly contacted Beal himself to close the deal.
Harden, at 35, played in 79 games last season, accumulating the fifth-most minutes in the league. He earned All-Star and All-NBA selections but aimed to lighten his burden for the upcoming season and believed Beal would be instrumental in that regard.
The recruitment pitch was multifaceted. The Clippers concluded the regular season with an impressive 18-3 record before being eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in a seven-game playoff series. The agonizing Game 4 loss, sealed by Aaron Gordon`s buzzer-beating dunk, left the team bitter yet cautiously optimistic.
Harden emphasized the Clippers’ depth to Beal and discussed how effectively he would integrate, particularly noting how well Powell had performed alongside Harden after stepping into the starting lineup for Paul George last season, enjoying a career-best year.
Harden explained how the Clippers had welcomed him and facilitated a career resurgence after his reputation was tarnished by disappointing stints in Brooklyn and Philadelphia. Beal, having similarly experienced a decline in market value after a frustrating tenure in Phoenix, could deeply relate to this narrative.
Harden even took the unusual step of speaking directly with Mark Bartelstein, a conversation approved by all involved parties, including Harden’s own agents. While star players recruiting their peers is common in the NBA, recruiting another agent to align is highly unconventional.
Mark Bartelstein acknowledged, “No one wants to be released; it brings considerable heartache. But Bradley wants to be in a position where his release is forgotten, and instead, people remember how he performs next season.”
Financial Maneuvers and Future Implications
The Suns employed the waive-and-stretch provision to amortize the $99 million owed to Beal over the next five years, meaning this sum will account for approximately $20 million annually against their salary cap until the end of the decade.
This places the team in an arduous financial situation, especially compounded by the fact that the Suns do not control their first-round draft picks through 2031. It effectively extends a costly error far into the future, potentially creating unforeseen challenges.
Nevertheless, the Suns were driven to this decision by multiple compelling factors.
The foremost and most readily comprehensible reason was financial. Over the past two seasons, Suns owner Mat Ishbia had invested $620 million in player salaries and luxury taxes, yet the team failed to secure a single playoff victory. Being expensive is one matter; being expensive and consistently losing is an entirely different one, regardless of the owner`s financial depth.
Waiving Beal saves the Suns a staggering $175 million in luxury tax alone this season, a sum so immense that it could, by itself, warrant distributing the salary cap burden over the next five years. When combined with this season`s salary savings, the maneuver removed over $210 million from the team`s balance sheet.
While the Suns are still obligated to pay Beal the full $99 million, the annual $20 million payment in the deal`s later years will likely constitute a much smaller percentage of the salary cap than it does presently. This strategy may appear favorable in a presentation, but it could prove difficult to accept approximately 50 months from now.
Crucially, this move allowed the Suns to exit the confines of the second and first salary cap aprons, thus granting them access to all roster-building tools that their previous excessive spending had denied. The combination of the second apron rules and Beal’s no-trade clause had severely hampered the Suns` ability to rectify their underperforming roster. The primary benefit of buying out Beal was this regained flexibility, even though their options remain somewhat limited by the numerous draft picks they`ve traded away in recent seasons.
Furthermore, the acquisition of Jalen Green is expected to create an effective partnership with Devin Booker. Following the finalized trade, Suns General Manager Brian Gregory commented, “We’ve brought in one of the rising stars in the NBA with Jalen. His athleticism and natural talent are extraordinary. Jalen has already demonstrated his dedication to the hard work required for excellence, and we are confident that his approach to the game will enable him to fully unleash his immense potential here in Phoenix.”
While reaching the decision was one challenge, executing the deal presented another. For the buyout to be legally compliant under league rules, the Suns required Beal to forfeit at least $13.9 million from his remaining two seasons. The Suns were already at the maximum 15% of the salary cap allocated for bought-out players, making Beal’s cooperation essential.
The Suns had initially hoped Beal would forgo more than just the $13.9 million. Discussions were reportedly intense and went back and forth. Ultimately, Beal conceded the bare minimum amount necessary for the waiver to be executed, down to the last penny.
Mark Bartelstein confirmed, “There were some intense conversations.”
Beal`s New Chapter with the Clippers
Beal agreed to sign with the Clippers for approximately $5.4 million this season, using every remaining penny of their mid-level exception after previously signing Brook Lopez to a two-year deal starting at $8.7 million in early July.
Beal will forfeit a small portion of his previously guaranteed earnings, but with a player option allowing him to re-enter free agency next summer at age 33, he hopes a productive year in Los Angeles will enable him to recoup those losses and potentially more.
While Beal’s statistics last season felt underwhelming relative to his $50 million salary, if he can replicate similar production for the Clippers at 90% less cost, it would represent an undeniable success story.
When Los Angeles initiated contract discussions with Harden after the season, both parties acknowledged the imperative to further strengthen the roster. Harden ultimately agreed to a new two-year, $81 million deal, which included a player option for the subsequent season.
Harden’s $39 million salary for the upcoming season, a $6 million increase from the previous year, ensured the Clippers had their full mid-level exception available. He then played a role in recruiting players like Lopez and Beal into those available salary slots.
Ultimately, the Clippers leveraged Norman Powell and their mid-level exception to acquire Lopez, Beal, and Collins this summer, successfully building the depth they desired. With Collins entering the final year of his $27 million contract, and the Clippers holding team options on Bogdan Bogdanovic, Nico Batum, and Lopez, they are strategically positioned to generate substantial cap space next summer, allowing them to offer a maximum contract if they choose.
Both Beal and Harden, holding player options that allow them to opt out, are highly incentivized to deliver stellar seasons. Kawhi Leonard, meanwhile, is coming off his first healthy summer in years and, according to team president Lawrence Frank, continued intensive full workouts into June following the playoff loss, meticulously preparing his body for a deep playoff run next season.
While the Clippers have frequently seen their carefully laid plans turn into nightmares this decade, on a day when the Suns and Beal were attempting to rationalize and mitigate their substantial losses as their separation was formalized, the Clippers were quietly securing significant value.
And all this transpired just in time for the rehearsal dinner.
