When the Clippers traded Tobias Harris last season, many assumed they’d fall from the playoff race. But they went 18-9 down the stretch and came as close to the No. 1 seed as ninth place.
Why did the Clippers finish so well? One key reason: They traded Avery Bradley.
That wasn’t the only reason. They got a couple useful players for Bradley – JaMychal Green (whom they’re re-signing) and Garrett Temple. L.A. also unloaded Marcin Gortat, another starter who was quietly struggling.
But make no mistake, the Clippers shedding Bradley – whose stature kept him in a major role – helped them win.
Now that the Grizzlies are waiving him, Los Angeles’ other team will take a swing on Bradley.
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN:
Once guard Avery Bradley clears waivers today, he plans to sign a two-year, $9.7M deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, his agent Bill Duffy of @BDA_Sports tells ESPN. Bradley will have a player option on the second season.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 8, 2019
This looks the room exception, which is worth $9,772,350 ($4,767,000 next season, $5,005,350 the following season). That’s a lot for Bradley.
The 28-year-old appears to be past his prime. Bradley’s rank among shooting guards in real plus-minus the last few years:
- 2015-16: 13th
- 2016-17: 47th
- 2017-18: 65th
- 2018-19: 90th
Maybe Bradley can reverse that decline in a limited role around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But there are many flaws to fix.
Bradley is an OK 3-point shooter, but he’s woeful inside the arc. Yet, he frequently forces 2-pointers off the dribble, and he rarely draws fouls or sets up teammates. His defense has slipped significantly.
Though he has theoretical skills for the role, Bradley hasn’t looked like a complementary player in a while. That’ll have to change quickly for him to help the Lakers.
Danny Green should start ahead of Bradley. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is also better and better-fitting than Bradley. But the Lakers are thin at small forward, so there will likely be minutes for Bradley as the team uses three-guard lineups.
The big questions: Will Bradley play well enough to deserve the opportunity his stature will surely provide? If not, how will he and the Lakers handle it?
