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Following Bradley Beal’s buyout from the Phoenix Suns and his decision to sign a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers, ESPN analyst and former NBA player Kendrick Perkins offered a sharp critique of the move during Thursday morning’s edition of First Take.
When asked what Beal’s addition meant for the Clippers’ title hopes, Perkins responded bluntly.
“Nothing.”
He expanded on the comment by questioning Beal’s current standing among elite shooting guards and casting doubt on the Clippers’ overall trajectory.
“I’m just being real here, right? We was talking about maybe four years ago, we had Bradley Beal in the conversation with the likes of a Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown, Donovan Mitchell when it comes down to the two guard position,” Perkins said. “But when you look at the Clippers and when you look at who they have, they [are] not doing anything but getting older.”
“They not doing nothing but getting older.”@KendrickPerkins feels the addition of Bradley Beal will do nothing for the Clippers 👀 pic.twitter.com/P9ZSUEaTyr
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 17, 2025
Perkins also referenced the team’s acquisition of John Collins from the Utah Jazz and contrasted it with offseason moves by other Western Conference contenders.
“I know they got John Collins from the Utah Jazz, but when you look at what teams have done this offseason, the teams that are trying to go get it – they have youth, they have athleticism, and they have depth at the wing position that could play both ways. The Clippers don’t have that.”
Kendrick Perkins questions Clippers’ ceiling despite Bradley Beal signing, points to aging core
Beal, 32, averaged 17 points, 3.7 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 53 games for the Suns last season while shooting 49.7% from the field and 38.6% from three. After an inconsistent season in Phoenix, Beal reached a buyout agreement with the franchise and joined the Clippers on a two-year, $11 million deal.
Perkins remained skeptical of the roster’s durability and postseason upside, particularly concerning Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.
“Yeah, you bring back James Harden who’s going to do great in the regular season. You bring back Kawhi Leonard who showed signs of life towards the end of the season that he could be healthy, but we still don’t know, right? He’s always had a question mark.”
Perkins highlighted center Ivica Zubac as one of the team’s lone positives, crediting him for a strong postseason showing.
“The only bright spot in my opinion on this squad has been big [Ivica] Zubac, right? Big Zubac who had an impressive season last year… went toe-to-toe with [Nikola] Jokic last postseason in the seven game series and held his own.”
The Clippers finished the 2024–25 season with a 50–32 record, earning the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Leonard played in just 37 games due to injury management, while Harden appeared in 79 games and averaged 22.8 points and 8.7 assists.
Perkins concluded that the Clippers may be competitive but not threatening, predicting another middle-tier finish in a loaded Western Conference.
“When I look at the Clippers they’re going to be a top eight seed in the Western Conference.”
