Over the past few weeks, the Free Agent Profile series has featured some players who have been linked to the Sixers and some guys who haven’t been linked to the team at all. This week’s featured player hasn’t been linked to Philadelphia but I believe he would be a really nice fit to play alongside our young roster. I’m talking about Boston Celtics Guard Avery Bradley.
The 23-year old shooting guard out of Texas just finished up his fourth season in Boston this year and is now facing an action packed summer of free agency. Bradley is coming off his best statistical year, posting career highs of 14.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 39.5 percent from the 3-point line. He seemed to really come into his own this year, and I am under the impression he now understands his role on an NBA roster. He’s going to be asked to shoot the ball, not much else. Bradley has virtually no point guard skills, which is interesting because he has the ideal point guard type of build at 6’2, 180lbs. As a smaller shooting guard Bradley can cause havoc offensively as a deadly shooting threat and defenses around the league are unable to stop him when he gets hot from long range.
GM’s around the league have one major concern when it comes to Avery Bradley. How many games is he going actually suit up and be on the floor? Evidence has shown the answer is not enough. In fact, Bradley’s highest game total for a season was in 2011-12 when he played in 64 games. He played in 60 games this past season while battling injuries throughout the year. The guy is always hurt. He already suffered an ACL injury earlier in his career and this past season he finally looked like he was going to go injury free until spraining his ankle on January 21. He was cleared to return to game action about two weeks later, but unfortunately the ankle wasn’t fully healed and Bradley suffered an untimely setback forcing him out of the lineup. No GM wants a guy who isn’t even going to be able to put on their uniform on a night to night basis and that’s really the only reason Bradley isn’t being mentioned as a big free agent on the market around the league this summer.
As for Bradley’s contract situation. Let’s just say he made a pretty bad mistake this past winter when he decided to turn down a 4-year, 24 million dollar extension from the Celtics. He passed up the perfect opportunity to stay in Boston, which is what he wants. Bradley said in a recent interview, “Boston is where I want to be.” So then why turn down the extension? Bradley clearly feels he is worth more then what the Celtics are offering but sooner or later he’s going to have to come to his senses. When you constantly have a nagging injury and when you only hit the floor in 60 some games per season, not many GM’s are going to be willing to pay big bucks for you, regardless of what your stats show when you’re on the floor. If he were to eventually come to his senses and realize he’s not quite worth the big bucks, then the Sixers could jump in and snag Bradley if the price is right.
How would Bradley fit with the Sixers? He’d fit perfectly into the shooting guard position as a guy who would be a phenomenal outlet for MCW when he gets in trouble, and with MCW still struggling shooting wise, Bradley would be able to pick up his slack in this category. This offense is in desperate need of an outside shooter and that’s exactly what Bradley provides. 40 percent for beyond the arc to go along with MCW’s driving ability could have the potential to be a deadly backcourt no defense would look forward to facing.
At the end of the day, Bradley has made it clear he wants to stay in Boston, but I’m not too sure Boston wants him to stay in Boston. Number one, he already turned down their first offer. Number two, dressing for only 60 games a season out of 82 isn’t going to cut it. It seems as of right now Bradley’s future is full of uncertainty. If Boston decides they don’t want him back and he’s tests the free agent market, don’t be surprised if the Sixers make a call. I don’t think he’s Hinkie’s first, second, or maybe even third option but he could be a valuable piece to this squad moving forward if he can stay healthy.
Next week’s Free Agent Profile series will continue with the Indiana Pacers smack talking, LeBron hating forward, Lance Stephenson.
-Follow @WillRock2424 on Twitter
