What could a potential Bradley Beal departure from Suns look like?

With the current experiment clearly not working, a lot of trade chatter has surrounded the Phoenix Suns and star Kevin Durant.

But while many have a Durant trade at the top of their must-do lists as a way to recoup some draft capital and turn the page, ESPN’s Bobby Marks believes figuring out the Bradley Beal situation is equally important — if not more.

Making that happen, however, is going to take some maneuvering.

How could Suns move on from Bradley Beal?

What could a potential Bradley Beal departure look like? And how could it happen?

ESPN's Bobby Marks dove into the details while on with @Bickley_Marotta. pic.twitter.com/GuEWKf9tQ1

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“Basically, he’s got two years left. You can waive him, but you can’t waive and stretch him right now without him agreeing to a buyout because how the cap rules are, the stretch money can’t exceed 15% of the salary cap,” Marks told Arizona Sports’ Bickley & Marotta on Monday. “His stretch money is like $22 million-$23 million and that’s more. … Would he take $25 million off what’s owed to him? That would allow him to get the $14 million nontax midlevel if it’s available to him.

“You would basically reduce his $54 million cap hit to $17 million for the next two years. Yes, you would take on some dead money in Years 3 and 4 and 5 but it gets you to an avenue to use your exceptions. You’re no longer in the apron anymore. You can aggregate contracts. … Certainly (Durant’s future) is a big one, but I think figuring out what you do with Beal, because that basically sets the tone as far as free agency and the draft and what you can do in trades.”

It’s been a season to forget for Beal in his second year with the organization. Dealing with injuries and a midseason benching this season, he’s averaging 17 points on 49.7% shooting and 38.2% from long range across 50 games (35 starts). He’s added 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game.

There’s his no-trade clause to keep in mind, too.

The issues go well beyond Beal, though, with the Suns sitting 35-43 and riding a six-game losing streak. Every loss in the streak has been by double digits.

The downward spiral now has Phoenix on the outside looking in the race to secure the final play-in spot.

Entering play Monday, Phoenix is 2.5 games back from the 10th-seeded Dallas Mavericks and a full three games from the Sacramento Kings in ninth.

Phoenix will get one last shot at Sacramento in its season finale next week, though could be out of the race by that point.

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