Free agent guard Bradley Beal is staying put in Los Angeles.
Beal has agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million contract to return to the Clippers, his agent Mark Bartelstein of Priority Sports told ESPN’s Shams Charania on Thursday night. The deal includes a player option in the second season.
The agreement comes after Beal declined his $5.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season in late June, becoming an unrestricted free agent. He spent the past month exploring the market, with interest from teams including the Miami Heat, before ultimately choosing to re-sign with the Clippers.
Beal’s first season in Los Angeles was largely lost to injury. After signing a two-year deal with the Clippers last summer following a buyout from the Phoenix Suns, the three-time All-Star appeared in just six games. A left hip fracture suffered in November required season-ending surgery. In limited action, he averaged a career-low 8.2 points in 20.2 minutes per game while shooting 36.8 percent from three.
The 33-year-old is entering his 15th NBA season with career averages of 21.4 points, 4.3 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 37.6 percent from beyond the arc. He has not averaged 20 points in a season since his final year with the Washington Wizards in 2022-23.
For the Clippers, the move provides a veteran scoring option and shooting presence as the franchise continues a shift toward a younger core. Los Angeles traded James Harden and Ivica Zubac during the 2025-26 season and has added pieces such as Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram and first-round pick Keaton Wagler. Beal’s return offers experience and secondary creation alongside the new look roster while keeping the financial commitment relatively modest.
Beal opted out of his previous deal in part to give both sides flexibility. By declining the option, he tested free agency while allowing the Clippers additional salary space to explore other moves. The new contract represents a significant raise from the roughly $5.6 million he would have earned had he picked up the option, though it remains a far cry from the max-level deals that defined earlier stages of his career.
Questions remain about Beal’s health after the hip injury and a recent history of durability concerns. He has not played more than 60 games in a season since 2018-19. Clippers officials and Beal’s camp have previously expressed optimism about a full recovery from the hip surgery.
If healthy, Beal gives Los Angeles a proven perimeter scorer and playmaker who can stretch the floor and create off the dribble. At this stage of his career and on a team emphasizing youth and assets, his role is likely to be more complementary than the primary offensive focal point he once was in Washington.
The deal is not yet official, as it remains subject to finalization, but both sides have agreed to terms. Beal will look to bounce back in 2026-27 and prove he still has plenty left to offer in a Clippers uniform.
