Bradley Beal decision will force Lakers into repeat of DeAndre Ayton signing

The Los Angeles Lakers gambled on the talent outweighing the obvious baggage when they decided to sign DeAndre Ayton. If Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns can agree to the buyout that is expected by most, Rob Pelinka will have to make that same uncomfortable call regarding a pursuit of the former All-Star.

Fred Katz of The Athletic noted the situation in Phoenix is trending towards Beal hitting free agency. Both sides are reportedly eager on making that work.

Katz wrote, "The Suns and Beal are increasingly optimistic that the two sides will agree to terms on a buyout, league sources tell The Athletic. The move would make Beal an unrestricted free agent."

The insider noted the Lakers as one of the teams worth monitoring if Beal is available. Katz was not the only writer to share that intel. Jake Fischer also tossed Los Angeles into the mix of teams who would be suitors for the Suns guard.

The cases for and against pursuing Beal are both equally loud. If the Ayton signing was an indicator, the expectation of what Pelinka does next should be obvious.

Ayton risk suggests Lakers would be willing to gamble on Beal

What does a bad attitude have in common with injury history and poor defense? In this case, those three things can all be used to describe the concerns surrounding not only Ayton, but Beal as well.

A lot of teams would steer clear of such concerns. Many organizations do not like having those types of distractions and red flags. The Lakers do not appear to be one of those franchises.

The front office made it abundantly clear with Ayton that they are willing to overlook some of the bad if it comes with just enough good to justify it internally. Beal, similarly, does have a lot that can still be brought to the table to overlook his baggage.

For all the negativity that surrounded the 2024-25 campaign for the three-time All-Star, Beal still posted some healthy numbers scoring the basketball. Getting buckets is something the 32-year-old remains more than capable of.

Beal averaged 17.0 points per game, shooting 49.7 percent from the field and 38.6 percent from beyond the arc. His true shooting percentage of 60.3 during his time in Phoenix still looks impressive from a distance. That is all in spite of a poor fit and questionable coaching.

The biggest knock on Beal's value to a team would be eliminated from the equation in this instance too. That would be his massive $53.7 million salary for the 2025-26 season.

When that becomes an afterthought and Beal is just a player on a bi-annual exception, the risk versus the reward is suddenly a lot more justifiable. That is especially true for a team who could use all the talent they could get right now after an unimpressive start to free agency.

Several NBA insiders have projected the Los Angeles Clippers as the frontrunners for Beal after trading away Norman Powell. If that falls through, the sunny skies of California could still be on the docket for the high-scoring guard with the Lakers waiting.