The Golden State Warriors are one of several teams linked to former Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard, but current Phoenix Suns star Bradley Beal looms large as a more appealing option.
Beal, who is entering Year 4 of a five-year, $251 million contract, is expected to hit unrestricted free agency in the next couple of days.
The Warriors would be able to take the same plan of action they had for Lillard, but with Beal.
“With a Bradley Beal buyout being imminent, per a source, I’m anticipating he gives up $13.9M of his remaining $110.8M, which would then clear the way for the Suns to waive-and-stretch the resulting $96.9M over 5 years and duck both tax aprons,” PHNX Suns’ Gerald Bourguet reported on X on July 6.
Beal averaged 17.0 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds during the 2024-25 regular season. He had a 57.1% effective field goal mark and also connected on 38.6% of his looks from beyond the arc.
Beal also projects as a better fit on a team with multiple ball-handlers, like the Warriors, than Lillard, who is a point guard by trade.
Brad Beal a Better Fit for Warriors Than Damian Lillard
GettyDamian Lillard #0 of the Milwaukee Bucks and Bradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns hug after a game.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Sam Amick, and Joe Vardon reported on the Warriors’ interest in Lillard. He is expected to miss much, if not all, of the 2025-26 season rehabbing from a torn Achilles.
“Not surprisingly, league sources say Lillard received calls from several contending teams quickly after the news of his Bucks’ ending broke,” the trio wrote on July 2. League sources say the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are known to be among the many teams that would have interest in doing a deal sooner rather than later. The question is whether he wants to sign with a team now and rehabilitate while under their care or wait until next summer to reassess the situation.”
Beal is nearly three years younger than Lillard and has also been linked to the Warriors, including via 98.7 FM’s John Gambadoro on July 3.
However, Lillard has the edge in appearances over Beal since the start of 2020-21.
Beal has been the more efficient scorer. He also has a lower usage rate than Lillard. Both players would require the ball in their hands quite often. Still, Beal has played with at least as many ball-dominant options. The list includes John Wall to Devin Booker, and even Kevin Durant.
Warriors Could Face Tricky Cap Gymnastics
GettyBradley Beal #3 of the Phoenix Suns drives to the basket against Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics.
The Warriors’ chances of landing Beal remain unclear. They could very well depend on how far they are willing to go to bring him in.
They are already expected to bring in former Celtics star Al Horford.
“I continue to hear that Horford is destined to land in the Bay Area,” The Stein Line’s Marc Stein wrote on July 6. “That’s despite the fact that the Warriors currently have only the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel to offer him.”
The Warriors have been relatively quiet in free agency. That is, outside of taking part in a historic seven-team trade that tied in multiple previously agreed-upon deals.
They still have the $14.1 million non-taxpayers mid-level exception, per Spotrac.
Using both would hard cap the Warriors at the first tax apron. However, they could, in theory, come away with Beal and Horford and remain below the actual threshold. They are currently more than $25 million below the apron with Jonathan Kuminga’s future looming large.
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