Will GMs be willing to write off Avery Bradley’s rough 2017-18 season? He entered the season with the reputation as one of the better two-way two guards in the NBA, but he battled turnovers and didn’t really fit in Detroit last season (when nothing seemed to fit for that team), then his time with the Clippers was cut short by injury. Bottom line, he had a PER of 9.6 and just was not the guy we remembered from Boston.
That down year is going to cost him millions, but he’s just 27 years old and there will be teams lined up to roll the dice on him. Put Memphis on this list, reports Marc Stein of the New York Times.
Hearing that the Grizzlies -- who will be looking for wing upgrades with their mid-level exception -- have Avery Bradley high among their free-agent targets
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 27, 2018
Thinking out loud: If I were Bradley’s agent, this is a leak I would put out there. The Grizzlies can offer up to $8.6 million with the mid-level exception to get him, an agent would love to get multiple teams in that process and maybe find one with some cap space willing to go a little higher. That said, that mid-level range is likely where Bradley lands after last season.
The Clippers likely will try to bring Bradley back.
The Grizzlies could use Bradley, especially if they want to push for the playoffs and 50 wins as their owner declared. Bradley at the two with Mike Conley at the point would be a strong defensive backcourt that can also shoot and get some buckets. It was expected the Grizzlies might use part of their mid-level exception to sign second-round pick Jevon Carter to a three-year deal (with team options), but that will depend on the market.
