Bradley Beal had one thing in mind when he joined the Los Angeles Clippers this offseason.
“I need a ring,” he said during an interview with Tamar Sher of KMOV in St. Louis. “I want one bad. And I feel like I’ve got a new life of rejuvenation for sure, a new hunger. Excited about the opportunity.”
A championship is the biggest thing missing from Beal’s resume, which includes three All-Star selections, a spot on the 2020-21 All-NBA Third Team and seven seasons when he averaged better than 22 points a night.
He was particularly dominant during that 2020-21 campaign when he averaged 31.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game as a member of the Washington Wizards.
Yet last season didn’t go according to plan when he was with the Phoenix Suns. The team missed the playoffs entirely despite having Beal, Kevin Durant and Devin Booker on the roster, and injuries limited the University of Florida product to just 53 games.
Beal’s no-trade clause dominated headlines as well leading up to the deadline, and Phoenix was unable to move him as the season progressed.
Yet he joined the Clippers this offseason after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Suns.
In doing so, he signed with a veteran-laden team that also features Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Chris Paul, Brook Lopez, Nicolas Batum, John Collins and Ivica Zubac. It is not a young team and is clearly in win-now mode given that roster construction, which matches perfectly with Beal’s desire to win a ring.
If he does, last season’s disappointing finish with the Suns will be a distant memory.