According to information from US media, the Phoenix Suns and the Washington Wizards have agreed on a large swap deal for the All Stars Chris Paul and Bradley Beal in the NBA.
Details are still to be clarified a few days before the draft on Thursday, but Paul will play for the Wizards and Beal for the Suns with Kevin Durant and Devin Booker, reports “ESPN” on Sunday, among others. Beal’s agent therefore confirmed the plan and the agreement on a framework of the deal.
Paul and Beal are both point guards. Paul is already 38 years old and had increasing health problems, Beal will soon be 30 years old and had four more years of a valid contract with the Wizards. Beal has a clause in that contract that requires him to agree to a transfer.
Suns expect large penalties
The comparatively new Suns owner Mat Ishbia is focusing even more on the present with the swap deal and wants to reach for the first championship with the Suns in the coming season.
Apparently he is willing to pay large penalties for exceeding the expected salary cap. According to ESPN, the Suns will have to pay $163 million in salary for Durant, Booker, Beal and Deandre Ayton alone in the coming season.
Experts predict the salary cap for the coming season at around 134 million US dollars.