Bradley Beal is already looking beyond his first year with the Los Angeles Clippers and has his sights set on a long-term future in Los Angeles.
According to Alex Schiffer of Front Office Sports, Beal’s agent Mark Bartelstein confirmed the veteran guard intends to opt out of his player option next summer and negotiate a multi-year deal with the franchise.
Beal, 32, joined the Clippers on July 16 after agreeing to a buyout with the Phoenix Suns. He signed a two-year, $11 million contract with a player option for the second year.
“Brad did not want to go anywhere where he would be a one-year rental,” Bartelstein told Front Office Sports Today. He emphasized Beal’s desire for stability, adding, “So the goal of this is to go to LA, have an awesome season and then re-sign a long-term deal with the Clippers next summer.”
Beal averaged 17.0 points, 3.7 assists and shot 38.6% from three-point range for the Suns last season, his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. Injuries and role adjustments in Phoenix limited his output.
The Clippers, meanwhile, finished the 2024–25 regular season with 50 wins, despite Kawhi Leonard missing 45 games. They were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by Denver in a seven-game series.
This summer, Los Angeles has retooled its roster, bringing back James Harden and adding veterans Brook Lopez and John Collins alongside Leonard. The team views Beal as a key piece to bolster its backcourt depth and perimeter scoring.
“[The Clippers] presented an opportunity for Brad to really be the best version of himself, to get back to being exactly who he is, which is a multiple-time All-Star and All-NBA player,” Bartelstein added.
Beal spent the first 11 seasons of his career with the Washington Wizards, earning three All-Star nods and one All-NBA selection before being traded to the Suns in 2023. He now hopes to regain that level of performance and secure a longer stay in Los Angeles.
