Trade rumors have begun conjuring moves with trade eligibility dates for players closing in. Staying on the rumors, Bradley Beal from the Suns for Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat is quickly gaining traction. However, aside from his no-trade option, Beal is an integral part of a Suns team that found some stability at the beginning of the season. It only fell off once the injuries began to pile up, which included the former Wizards ace.

Beal has missed the last two games with a right knee swelling. Phoenix in that stretch hasn’t lost, but much of that alludes to the return of Kevin Durant in the lineup. Before those games, the Suns were just 3-5 in games without the scoring maestro. Likewise, Phoenix wants him back as soon as possible. And Mike Budenholzer had a somewhat optimistic update.

“Today, his practice was in the training room. He did a bunch of kinda rehab stuff. He did really well in the training room is what I got and now he is doing some work post-practice,” Budenholzer told the media. Still, there’s no certainty whether Bradley Beal will feature against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Although, Budenholzer is hopeful.

“It’s a big probably 24 or 36 hours. You know, we’re hopeful that he continues to make progress and evaluate him each day,” he concluded.

As the third option scorer, Bradley Beal has been a stellar contributor for the Phoenix Suns this season. In 15 games, he is averaging 17.8 points per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Additionally, he has also established himself as a player that goes beyond his renowned role as a scoring architect.

Bradley Beal is vital for the Phoenix Suns

For most fans, Kevin Durant is the most important player on the Phoenix Suns roster. And they would be right, given how the team plummeted in his absence. However, the key requirement for the Suns is probably their dynamic trio to stay healthy and continue playing together. In the 10 games KD, Booker, and Beal have participated, they have an 8-2 record.

Likewise, for a combination like that to thrive, sacrifices have to be made all around. Beal has tuned himself from a maniacal scorer to a point-of-attack defender for the Suns. Thus far, it is yet to yield the results the Suns need from him. But that’s the exact reason continuity becomes a make-or-break factor.

And Beal has embraced that role too. “I’m very excited about taking on the task of guarding guys. I just think that’s another level I can tap into. I had a better feel coming into this season of kind of what my role would be, how the team would utilize me, and where I could just see where we had a gaping hole,” he said about making adjustments for the team.

As a scorer, not much has waned. The looks are much cleaner, with Durant and Devin Booker sharing the floor with him. Hence, even in his limited shot attempts, Bradley Beal can stay in motion for longer spells in the game.

But honestly, individual stats don’t bode well in a game where teams thrive. The bottom line is that with all of their top three stars healthy, Budenholzer has devised the schemes for Phoenix to look like contenders. Hence, Beal certainly remains an essential part of his plans and the sooner he returns, the quicker the Suns can hope to be consistent again.