Over the last few seasons, the LA Clippers’ reporter and insider for “The Athletic” has published a piece that ranks every starter in the league by position. Thus, 30 players are graded, and although there are several debatable picks, Bradley Beal appears to be listed too low.
Furthermore, Murray has Beal as the 16th-best starting shooting guard in the NBA. This is a major drop from last season’s list, as before the 2024-25 regular season, he had the three-time All-Star ranked in the top ten, specifically in the ninth spot.
This was ahead of some All-Star names like Jalen Williams and Tyler Herro. Sure, these guys had a leap, and so did several others behind Beal, like Dyson Daniels, but overall, he had a solid individual season for the Phoenix Suns and should not have fallen on the list by as many as seven spots.
Law Murray’s position on Bradley Beal seems puzzling at first glance
Through a ranking that included many factors, with availability not being one of them, as Herb Jones was ranked 13th, Bradley Beal deserved to be a few spots higher, even if it was just outside of the top ten.
One of the players whose position on the ranking ahead of Beal that seemed debatable was Christian Braun. He is an excellent talent and should have been in the Most Improved Player race, but producing in his situation with the best playmaker in the world is ten times easier.
Braun is in the perfect situation to thrive, where he can create on his own, but does not have to depend on it, as Nikola Jokic will find him in transition or on the baseline, cutting to the basket for an easy bucket.
Two spots behind Braun is Jalen Green, one of the newest members of the Phoenix Suns, taking Beal’s old role. Green had a solid final season for the Houston Rockets, as everyone knows he can score the ball, but he is one of the most inconsistent producers in the association.
He struggled to end the regular season, shooting 5-24 in his last three games, and left the first round against the Golden State Warriors with averages of 13.3 points, shooting 37.2% from the field and 29.5% from a distance.
Along with Braun and Green were arguable choices like Norman Powell and Coby White. But, at the end of the day, Beal should have been higher, and he will prove it with a remarkable 2025-26 campaign.