The NBA free agency market has just got even drier for the Golden State Warriors after three-time All-Star Bradley Beal signed a new contract to return to the L.A. Clippers.
Despite initially opting out of his $5.6 million player option to test free agency again, Beal has signed a two-year, $13.2 million deal with the Clippers according to ESPN's Shams Charania on Thursday.
Bradley Beal returns to Clippers after testing free agency
Beal was undoubtedly one of the most high-profile names remaining through six weeks of free agency, perhaps only sitting behind six-time All-Star DeMar DeRozan who was stretched-and-waived by the Sacramento Kings earlier in the offseason.
There was never any real links between the Warriors and Beal this offseason, but the franchise was reportedly interested in the scoring guard when he became a free agent last summer following his exit from the Phoenix Suns.
Beal played in only six games in his first year with the Clippers, averaging just 8.2 points on 37.5% shooting from the floor before his year came to an abrupt and early end due to hip surgery.
Free agent Bradley Beal has agreed to a two-year, $13.2 million deal to return to the Los Angeles Clippers, with a player option in the second season, Mark Bartelstein of @PrioritySports tells ESPN. pic.twitter.com/RzLqjDv5hy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 13, 2026
Beal will now hope to repay the faith shown in him by the Clippers, including in an early season game against Golden State at Chase Center on November 11. The two pacific rivals will meet again at Chase Center on November 29, before the Warriors visit Los Angeles to play the Clippers on December 23 and February 3.
Warriors left scraping bottom of free agency barrel after Bradley Beal signing
The options are thinning for a Warrior front office that still has two roster spots to fill, and who is yet to sign a single rival player in free agency after missing out on LeBron James and focusing to bring back the same roster from last season.
Instead of renewing interest in the proven but injury-plagued Beal, Golden State are reportedly looking at another scoring guard in Brandon Williams who remains unsigned despite coming off a career-best year with the Dallas Mavericks where he averaged 13.0 points and 3.9 assists in 22.2 minutes per game.
The Warriors have also been linked to veteran forward Georges Niang and 24-year-old Dalen Terry, the latter of whom has only become available thanks to James' decision to head to the Philadelphia 76ers and the subsequent signing of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
But there's a reason these players remain unsigned so far through free agency, meaning the Warriors are really scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to filling out their roster entering next season.
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