Phoenix Suns take huge Bradley Beal decision amid 'tension' in locker room

The Phoenix Suns were expected to be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, but so far they have barely made a dent in the Western Conference.

Following their 18-point loss against the Indiana Pacers, the Suns have fallen to a 15-18 record this season as they are now the 12th seed in the West.

Now, that's terrible for a star-studded roster. Keeping that in mind, head coach Mike Budenholzer has reportedly decided to make some tough calls starting Monday, vs. the Philadelphia 76ers.

Senior NBA insider Chris Haynes recently reported that the Suns plan to demote Bradley Beal and Jusuf Nurkic to the bench vs. the 76ers. In their place, Ryan Dunn and Mason Plumlee will get spots in the starting lineup. Haynes also reported that there is some 'tension' in the locker room amid the team's poor form this season.

"Now, there's also tension in that locker room," Haynes reported. "I'm told certain players are unsure of their roles and frustrated about how they are being used, and the coaching staff are still trying to figure things out, so this situation will be something to monitor moving forward."

Sources: In midst of 4-game losing streak and tension in locker room, Phoenix expected to make drastic change by removing Bradley Beal, Jusuf Nurkic from starting lineup beginning Monday at Philadelphia. #haynesbriefs pic.twitter.com/utz0FNLppB
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) January 6, 2025

The Suns emptied their bank to acquire Beal in a blockbuster trade last year, but the former Washington Wizards star's arrival hasn't made a huge impact on the organization.

For starters, he has struggled with injuries throughout his short stint with the Suns. In addition, he is simply not a great fit alongside the dynamic duo of Kevin Durant and Devin Booker as the third option on the team.

To put things into perspective, Beal has averaged 17.8 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game for the Suns, but his impact on the defensive end is negligible. As a result, it's no surprise that Budenholzer is contemplating bringing Beal off the bench.