For sports agent Mark Bartelstein and his son Josh, who also serves as CEO of the Phoenix Suns, the familiar jokes about family dynamics intersecting with client negotiations are nothing new. Yet, sometimes reality proves more peculiar than any jest.
Recently, Mark Bartelstein, CEO of Priority Sports, finalized a substantial $99 million buyout agreement for his star client, Bradley Beal. This deal was struck directly with his son, Josh Bartelstein, the CEO of the Phoenix Suns, bringing an end to a protracted multi-month negotiation. This unusual business transaction occurred just before Josh`s 36th birthday celebration in Chicago and a major family wedding for Mark`s daughter, Courtney, who is Josh`s sister. Josh lightheartedly commented, “Yeah, there`s going to be some jokes when I get the mic. My mom and grandmas are going to love it.”
Following the family festivities, Mark Bartelstein is slated to finalize Bradley Beal`s two-year, $11 million contract with the LA Clippers. This move marks a triumphant offseason for the Clippers, while concluding a challenging two-year period for both the Suns organization and Beal himself.
Bradley Beal`s Phoenix Departure: A Three-Part Narrative
1. The Coach`s Proposition and Beal`s Decision
After Jordan Ott was appointed as the new head coach in early June following an extensive search, he met with Beal to outline how his skills could be utilized in the upcoming season. Beal had just completed a season marked by the lowest usage rate of his career, his role significantly reduced under previous coach Mike Budenholzer, who even benched him from the starting lineup for six weeks.
Despite respectable individual statistics (averaging 17 points with nearly 50% overall shooting and almost 40% from beyond the arc), his output, especially for a player on a $50 million maximum salary, failed to align with the team`s underperformance and the hefty financial investment. Ott`s presentation suggested the Suns hadn`t entirely abandoned the idea of Beal returning, which wasn`t surprising given his two years and $113 million remaining on his contract, coupled with a no-trade clause that had severely hampered the Suns` ability to move him last winter.
While Beal appreciated Ott`s efforts, he had already decided, after postseason discussions with Bartelstein, that he needed to move on from Phoenix if an opportunity arose. Mark Bartelstein explained, “We couldn`t take the chance [of another lost year]. This decision was about basketball. Bradley wants to play in big games and in big moments.”
2. The Kevin Durant Trade and Beal`s Redefined Role
On June 22, the Suns reached an agreement to trade superstar Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets. The trade brought back 23-year-old guard Jalen Green, whom the Suns envision as a new foundational piece for their backcourt alongside Devin Booker.
Prior to accepting Houston`s offer, the Suns engaged in detailed discussions with the Minnesota Timberwolves about moving Durant. They sought 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 this deal materialized, there might have been a clear role for Beal, and the Suns might have prioritized retaining him. However, Durant had already indicated that the Timberwolves were not among his preferred destinations, and with only one season remaining on his contract, he wielded significant leverage. These discussions ultimately faded.
The deal the Suns made with Houston leaned towards a younger roster and, with Green`s arrival, left Beal`s role ambiguous at best. Soon after, the Suns granted Beal and Bartelstein permission to engage with other teams about a buyout, signaling the definitive end of the Beal era in Phoenix. Over 20 teams reportedly showed interest, and Beal eventually conducted Zoom meetings with half a dozen teams to explore potential fits.
3. The Clippers` Pursuit and James Harden`s Influence
On July 7, the Clippers traded starting shooting guard Norman Powell to the Miami Heat in a three-team deal that brought them a new starting power forward, John Collins, from the Utah Jazz. The Clippers were already among the teams on Beal`s shortlist. Following the Powell trade, talks swiftly intensified. Clippers owner Steve Ballmer and head coach Ty Lue, who shares a long-standing relationship with Beal due to their Missouri roots, discussed what the Clippers could offer.
Crucially, James Harden played a pivotal role, actively campaigning for Beal`s acquisition within the Clippers` front office and personally contacting Beal to persuade him. Harden, despite playing 79 games last season and logging the fifth-most minutes in the league at 35, aimed to reduce his workload for the upcoming year and believed Beal could provide significant relief. The recruitment pitch was multi-faceted.
The Clippers concluded their regular season with an impressive 18-3 record before a seven-game playoff exit against the Denver Nuggets. Their agonizing Game 4 loss, decided by an Aaron Gordon dunk at the buzzer, left the team bitter yet optimistic. Harden convinced Beal about the Clippers` depth and emphasized how well Beal would integrate, particularly noting how Powell had a career-best season alongside Harden after replacing Paul George in the starting lineup. He further highlighted how the Clippers had embraced him and helped him revitalize his career after disappointing stints in Brooklyn and Philadelphia had damaged his reputation. Beal, having experienced a similarly disheartening period in Phoenix that had stunted his league-wide value, could readily relate.
Harden even took the unusual step of conversing with Mark Bartelstein directly, with approval from all parties, including Harden`s own agents. While star players recruiting peers is common in the NBA, recruiting another agent for endorsement is not. Mark Bartelstein commented, “No one wants to be released. There`s heartache with that. But Bradley wants to be in a position where no one remembers he got released, that they`ll remember how he plays next season.”
The Suns` Financial Gambit and Future Implications
To manage the $99 million still owed to Beal, the Suns implemented the waive-and-stretch provision, dispersing the payment as a $20 million annual cap hit over the next five years, extending until the end of the decade. This financial strategy places the team in an arduous situation, compounded by their lack of control over first-round draft picks until 2031. Essentially, this decision perpetuates a past misstep far into the future, with potential unforeseen repercussions.
However, the Suns were compelled to make this decision for several reasons. Primarily, finances. Over the past two seasons, Suns owner Mat Ishbia had invested $620 million in player salaries and luxury taxes, yet the team failed to win a single playoff game. Being an expensive team is one thing; being expensive and consistently losing is an entirely different matter, regardless of an owner`s wealth.
Waiving Beal alone saves the Suns a staggering $175 million in luxury tax this season, a figure substantial enough to justify spreading the cap burden over the next five years. When combined with immediate salary savings for the current season, this maneuver removed over $210 million from the team`s balance sheet. While the Suns will eventually pay Beal the full $99 million, the annual $20 million payment in later years will likely constitute a smaller percentage of the salary cap than it does now. This might seem favorable on paper, but it could prove difficult to stomach years down the line.
Crucially, this move allowed the Suns to bypass the second and first luxury tax aprons, restoring their ability to utilize roster-building tools that were previously inaccessible due to their excessive spending. The combination of second-apron rules and Beal`s no-trade clause had severely crippled the Suns` capacity to address their flawed roster. The flexibility gained from buying out Beal, even with their limited draft picks from recent trades, was a critical factor. Furthermore, the Suns are enthusiastic about the addition of Jalen Green, whom they believe will complement Devin Booker effectively. Suns general manager Brian Gregory stated after the trade, “We brought in one of the rising stars in the NBA in Jalen. His athleticism and natural ability are off the charts. Jalen has already proven his commitment to putting in the work that excellence requires, and we believe that his approach to the game will allow him to further unlock his incredible upside here in Phoenix.”
Reaching the decision was one step, executing the deal was another. League rules necessitated that Beal forfeit at least $13.9 million from his remaining two seasons to make the buyout legally permissible. The Suns were operating at the very limit of the 15% salary cap allocated to bought-out players and thus required Beal`s cooperation. Initially, the Suns aimed for Beal to forgo a larger portion of his remaining contract than the mandated $13.9 million. Sources indicate that negotiations were contentious, but ultimately, Beal conceded only the bare minimum required to facilitate the waiver, down to the last penny. Mark Bartelstein acknowledged, “There were some intense conversations.”
Beal`s New Deal and the Clippers` Strategic Gains
Beal agreed to sign with the Clippers for approximately $5.4 million this season, utilizing every penny remaining in their midlevel exception after having earlier secured Brook Lopez on a two-year deal starting at $8.7 million in July. While Beal will relinquish a portion of his previously guaranteed earnings, his new contract includes a player option, allowing him to re-enter free agency next summer at 33. He anticipates that a successful season in Los Angeles will enable him to recover and even surpass his lost earnings.
Beal`s statistics last season felt underwhelming relative to his $50 million salary, but if he comes close to replicating that performance for the Clippers at a 90% reduced cost, it would be an unqualified success story. When the Clippers engaged in contract talks with James Harden after the season, both sides recognized the need to further enhance the roster. Harden ultimately agreed to a new two-year, $81 million deal with a player option for next season. Harden`s $39 million salary for the upcoming season, a $6 million increase from last year, ensured the full midlevel exception remained available for the Clippers, which he then helped utilize to recruit players like Lopez and Beal.
Ultimately, the Clippers strategically utilized Norman Powell and their midlevel exception to acquire Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, and John Collins this summer, significantly bolstering their roster depth. 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 positioned to have sufficient cap space to offer a maximum contract next summer, should they choose to. Both Beal and Harden, equipped with opt-out clauses, are highly motivated to have impactful seasons. Kawhi Leonard is coming off his first healthy summer in years and, according to team president Lawrence Frank, continued full workouts into June after the playoff loss to prepare his body for a deep playoff run next season.
Historically, the Clippers have often seen their ambitious plans unravel. However, on the day the Suns and Bradley Beal were formalizing their costly separation, the Clippers quietly secured significant value. And all just in time for the rehearsal dinner.