Bradley Beal trade grades: NBA title or bust for Phoenix Suns with Washington Wizards deal

The Phoenix Suns are trading for guard Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in a deal that includes Chris Paul and Landry Shamet, as well as other pieces, sources informed The Republic Sunday.

It didn't take long for NBA writers to weigh in with their grades for the Suns for the move.

And most writers weighed in positively, praising the Suns' deal with the Wizards and the combination of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal on Phoenix's roster.

Does the trade make the Suns the team to beat for the NBA title next season? What can we expect from Phoenix in 2023-24?

Check out what NBA writers are saying about the Bradley Beal trade, from the Suns' perspective, in their NBA trade grades:

More: Bradley Beal trade gives Phoenix Suns the superteam that Devin Booker predicted in 2018

CBS Sports: Suns get 'B' for trade for Bradley Beal

Jack Maloney writes: "The Suns will be severely limited as they look to fill out the rest of their roster or potentially make trades in the future, and new owner Mat Ishbia will have to pay significant tax penalties. All of that is worth it  if you win a title, of course, but whether Beal is enough to get them over that hump remains to be seen. The offense is going to be awesome, but defense and depth remain concerns."

NBA mock draft 2023: Phoenix Suns go big in 2023 NBA draft projections

SB Nation: Suns receive a 'B' for landing Bradley Beal

Ricky O'Donnell writes: "The big question for Phoenix is if they can keep Booker, Durant, and Beal all healthy throughout the playoffs. That’s going to be difficult given the lack of durability all three have shown in recent years. The Suns now need to find role players for cheap to fill out the roster, and that’s a dangerous game. Phoenix may have been wiser going for improved depth instead of trying to land a third star. At the same time, Phoenix didn’t give up anything of value for Beal other than ownership’s money. Beal has four years, $207.6 million remaining on his contract, and his no-trade clause comes with him. If Beal fails to deliver with Phoenix, it will be extremely hard for the Suns to move off him. It’s a bold move by the Suns, but it does not fix all their problems."

Commentary: Bradley Beal is a great player, but he doesn't fit in Phoenix

Sporting News: Suns land a 'B+' for acquisition of Bradley Beal

Sam Jarden writes: "The lack of depth behind the team's core is undoubtedly concerning. It proved to be the Suns' undoing in the 2023 NBA Playoffs. But if their stars can stay healthy, this is easily one of the most formidable teams in the league. If the Suns don't win a championship soon, they'll be in big trouble moving forward. They have saddled themselves with four mammoth contracts and traded away many of their future draft picks. Blowing up this roster would lead to an ugly rebuild, and that's not a pleasant thought for anyone in Phoenix."

More: Draymond Green next team speculation, rumors, odds, landing spots include Phoenix Suns

Clutch Points: Suns earn an 'A-' for Bradley Beal trade

Quenton Albertie writes: "A Beal acquisition make it more difficult for defenses to key in on one of Kevin Durant or Devin Booker, Phoenix's all-world scorers. For all the discussion about the depth surrounding the star duo, a case can be made that quality is more important than quantity in the NBA Playoffs. Having a player in Beal that's capable of playing on-ball or off-ball, playing off of Durant or Booker or taking over the game, is frankly more important than having a role player. Especially for a franchise with championship aspirations. Nonetheless, Beal's injury history, exorbitant contract and defensive concerns prevent the Suns from getting top marks on this deal, even if they managed to acquire him at a pretty reasonable price."

Reaction: Suns fans, social media react to Chris Paul in trade package for Wizards star Bradley Beal

Draft Kings: Suns given an 'A' for deal for Bradley Beal

Teddy Ricketson writes: "The Suns made it clear a few weeks ago that they needed to change something about Paul’s contract. Either a waive and re-sign, a trade, or a general contract restructure was expected. They were able to use his contract and Shamet to bring in Beal, who will now be paired with Devin Booker and Kevin Durant. Phoenix doesn’t have a first round pick and likely will be including No. 52 in this year’s draft in the deal. Yes, they have to now deal with Beal’s cap hit but have an incredible foundation to build around this season in win-now mode."

NBA draft 2023: How to watch, draft order, odds and what Phoenix Suns fans should know

Sports Illustrated: Suns get a 'B' for move to land Bradley Beal

Rohan Nadkarni writes: "On the court, the Suns now have three of the premier three-level scorers in the game. Beal, Booker and Durant are all adept at getting to the rim, punishing teams from midrange, and hitting threes at high volume. But the rest of the roster will be a giant question mark. While I thoroughly respect Phoenix for flashing a middle finger at the punitive measures of the new CBA, their limited avenues to building around the core four make me stop short of full-on excitement for the deal."

Trade: Phoenix Suns landing Bradley Beal in blockbuster deal involving Chris Paul, Landry Shamet

Not everyone was high on the Suns' trade for Bradley Beal, however:

ESPN's Kevin Pelton gave Phoenix a 'D' for the deal with the Washington Wizards.

Bradley Beal trade grades: NBA writer explains harsh mark for Phoenix Suns

How would you grade the trade for the Suns?

Reach Jeremy Cluff at jeremy.cluff@arizonarepublic.com. Follow him on Twitter @Jeremy_Cluff.

Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bradley Beal trade grades: Phoenix Suns win Washington Wizards deal?