Bradley Beal is set to return to the Los Angeles Clippers on a two-year contract worth $13.2 million, with a player option for the second season, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. This agreement comes after Beal declined his $5.62 million player option for the upcoming season.
Beal's first year with the Clippers was largely derailed by injury, limiting him to just six games before a hip issue ended his 2025-26 season prematurely. During that brief stint, he averaged 8.2 points and 1.7 assists in 20.2 minutes per game, a significant departure from his previous scoring averages in Washington and Phoenix.
The Clippers are taking another chance on the veteran guard, who will join a team undergoing roster adjustments. Los Angeles has added Darius Garland and top draft pick Keaton Wagler to its backcourt. The future of Kawhi Leonard also remains uncertain amid an NBA investigation into alleged salary-cap circumvention involving the team.
Beal's return offers a relatively low-cost option to stabilize the backcourt. If healthy, the 33-year-old guard could compete for starting minutes alongside Garland and provide additional ball-handling and scoring. However, his availability has been a consistent concern, as he has not played more than 60 regular-season games since the 2018-19 season.
After receiving minimal production from Beal last season, the Clippers are opting to try again, with both parties hopeful that his second season in Los Angeles will be more extensive than his first.