Suns star Bradley Beal’s agent calls trade reports “nonsense.”

The Phoenix Suns supposedly he would very much like to trade Bradley Bealpossibly for Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat, but the Bills have a no-trade clause that has loomed large all rumors involving Beal.

With his no-trade clause, Beal can effectively veto any trade involving him for any reason. That has seemingly become moot, especially with the Suns at 19-20 and falling to 11th in the Western Conference. Phoenix logically needs something to change, but Beal’s agent, Mark Bartelstein, he seems disdainful of it change as Bill trade.

“Brad’s full focus is on helping the Suns win and turn their season around,” Bartelstein told The Athletic’s Sam Amick. “Everything else put out there is nonsense.”

In particular, Mark Bartelstein is the father of Suns general manager Josh Bartelsteina fact some pointed to as a key factor in the trade that sent Beal from the Washington Wizards to Phoenix a year after he signed a record $251 million contract.

While the Suns seemingly went all-in with the Beal trade — they previously acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets and signed Devin Booker to a $220.4 million extension — the Phoenix haven’t experienced the success that owner Matt Ishbia probably thought the team would have at this point in his mandate.

After trading for Durant, parting ways with Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and numerous draft picks, the Suns lost in the second round of the 2023 playoffs to the Denver Nuggets, the eventual NBA champions. After that season, the Suns fired Monty Williams and hired former Los Angeles Lakers coach Frank Vogel as his replacement.

The Suns improved on their regular season record from the previous season; despite battling injuries and adding Beal and center Jusuf Nurkic in the offseason, the Phoenix went 49-33 to avoid the playoffs. Unfortunately, the Suns ran into the Minnesota Timberwolves, who dominated Phoenix in the first round, 4-0.

Phoenix, who fired Vogel to hire former Bucks coach Mike Budenholzergot off to a hot start this season; The Suns were 9-2 after the first three weeks, thanks to a seven-game winning streak. However, things began to fall apart in mid-November when they lost five straight and seven of nine games. The results haven’t gotten much better, as since their 9-2 start, the Suns are 10-18, which has even helped them win four of their last six games.

While Beal has performed well – he’s averaging 17.7 points, 3.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists on .489/.388/.758 shooting – the Suns are extremely limited in the moves they can make. While they could certainly trade Booker or Durant, both of whom would very likely bring more interest and higher returns if traded, it would also mean another rebuild.

Beal is making $50.2 million this season and is slated for annual salaries of $53.7 million and $57.1 million over the next two seasons, subject to picking up a player option in the final year of his contract. Even if he waives his no-trade clause to be moved this season – NBA trade deadline is Feb. 6 — could keep him with his new team and maintain the impact he’s creating for himself.