Tag: avery bradley

Lakers add Avery Bradley via waiver wire

The Los Angeles Lakers have been awarded guard Avery Bradley on a waiver claim, it was announced today by Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka.

Per SCNG via the Press Enterprise, “Bradley was cut earlier this preseason by the Golden State Warriors, and he gives the Lakers immediate depth at positions where they’ve seen injuries early on. ESPN reported that Bradley is on a non-guaranteed contract. The 6-foot-2 Bradley played 49 games for the Lakers during the 2019-20 season, starting primarily as the defender on the opposing ball-handler and picking up full-court assignments.”

Bradley returns to Los Angeles after averaging 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 49 games for the Lakers during the 2019-20 Championship season.

Rockets trade Victor Oladipo to Heat for Avery Bradley and Kelly Olynyk

The Houston Rockets today traded guard Victor Oladipo to the Miami Heat for guard Avery Bradley and forward Kelly Olynyk.

The Rockets also receive the right to swap first round picks with Miami in 2022, using their own pick or the one owed to Houston by Brooklyn.

Oladipo, a two-time NBA All-Star, has appeared in 29 games (all starts) this season between the Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers averaging 20.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.34 steals and 33.4 minutes while shooting 41.1 percent from the field, including 25.6 points on 43.3 percent from the field over his last eight games. He has recorded 18 20-point games this season, including six-straight from February 26 – March 16, tying the second-longest streak of his career, while adding three 30-point performances. He has connected on multiple three-point field goals 21 times this season and has currently hit at least one trey in 11-straight games. Additionally, Oladipo has been the only player in the NBA to average at least 20.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.90 steals over the last three combined seasons.

Olynyk (6-11, 240) was originally the 13th overall pick by Dallas in the 2013 NBA Draft before his rights were acquired by Boston. In 543 career games with 141 starts, Olynyk is averaging 9.7 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

Dating back to 2017-18, Olynyk is the only player in the league to have averaged at least 10.0 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, and 1.5 3-pointers made in fewer than 28.0 mpg. He has the fourth-most 3-pointers made (645) of any player in NBA history listed 6’11” or taller.

Bradley (6-3, 190) was originally the 19th overall pick by Boston in the 2010 NBA Draft. In 581 career games with 494 starts, he is averaging 11.7 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.01 steals.

Last season, Bradley started 44 games for the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers prior to the NBA restart in Orlando. He earned NBA All-Defensive First Team honors in 2015-16 and was a Second Team selection in 2012-13.

Avery Bradley’s defense should help Heat this season

Defensive-minded guard Avery Bradley left the Lakers this offseason and joined the Heat. Here’s the Miami Herald quoting Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra’s analysis of the squad’s new addition:

“You see him as a 6-2, 6-3 guard, but he’s able to literally defend one through four,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “And offensively, he’s a player that can fit in any system, because he can play off the ball, you can put the ball in his hands. He can play as a point guard. You can play him running off of dribble hand offs. Or he can just play off of your great players or your great offensive threats. And he’ll find a way to be effective. And that’s what we’ve already seen in a couple of days.

“I know he’s going to make Tyler [Herro] and [Kendrick Nunn] better just from practices. His level of intensity and his on-ball defense is incredible. It’s an area we felt we could improve, not only in player development, but with a personnel addition. He has checked that box, just with what we’ve seen in a short period of time.”

Point-of-attack perimeter defense was a Heat weakness opponents tried to take advantage of last season, with teams repeatedly running isolation sets against players such as Tyler Herro and Duncan Robinson in the playoffs.

Bradley (6-3, 180), who turned 30 on Nov. 26, will certainly help in that area this season.

Miami Heat sign Avery Bradley

The Miami Heat have signed guard Avery Bradley.

According to the Miami Herald, “Bradley’s two-year contract is worth nearly $12 million and includes a team option for the second year. He will make about $6 million in the first year — the only guaranteed year — of the contract.”

“This is a great signing that can help us right away,” said HEAT President Pat Riley. “Being able to add a two-time All-NBA Defensive Team selection who is also a great shooter and fits perfectly with our current philosophy as a multi-positional player. Avery will be a great addition to fortifying our backcourt.”

Bradley appeared in 49 games (44 starts) with the Los Angeles Lakers last season and averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 24.2 minutes while shooting 44.4 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the foul line. He scored in double-figures 20 times, including a season-high 24 points on March 8 against the Los Angeles Clippers.

More from the Herald: “Heat president Pat Riley called Bradley on Friday night to pitch him on playing for the Heat if Miami failed to re-sign Jae Crowder, according to a source with direct knowledge. Riley then called him again on Saturday morning and told Bradley how much he and Erik Spoelstra would like to have him on the team and that they thought he perfectly fit the Heat’s culture.”

The 10-year NBA veteran has appeared in 571 career games (493 starts) and averaged 11.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.02 steals and 28.3 minutes while shooting 43.6 percent from the field, 36.4 percent from three-point range and 78 percent from the foul line.

Heat and Avery Bradley reportedly agree to a contract

Former Lakers guard Avery Bradley, who declined to rejoin the team for the Disney NBA bubble due to family coronavirus safety reasons, will be joining the team they beat in the 2020 NBA Finals. Via the Miami Herald:

The Miami Heat will sign veteran guard Avery Bradley to a free-agent deal, a league source said to the Miami Herald.

Bradley’s two-year contract includes a team option in the second year.

Bradley, who will turn 30 on Thanksgiving, is a skilled three-point shooter and considered one of the league’s better defensive guards.

After guard Goran Dragic and center Meyers Leonard agreed to return to the Miami Heat in the opening minutes of free agent negotiations Friday night, the Heat received commitments from outside free agents Maurice Harkless and Bradley on Saturday.

Lakers sign J.R. Smith as Substitute Player for NBA season restart

Once again, shooting guard J.R. Smith is back by LeBron James’ side.

The Los Angeles Lakers signed Smith today, as a Substitute Player for the NBA season restart, which is taking place in July at Disney World in Florida.

Per the Los Angeles Times, “although Smith is designated as a replacement for [Avery] Bradley, the Lakers’ rotation at the position is likely to begin with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso.”

In 971 NBA career games (395 starts) for New Orleans, Denver, New York and Cleveland, Smith, who will turn 35 years old in September, was the 2013 NBA Sixth Man of the Year. His career average is 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.0 steal in 27.0 minutes per game, and 37.3 percent shooting from three-point range. He most recently appeared in 11 games (four starts) for the Cavaliers during the 2018-19 season, notching 6.7 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steal in 20.2 minutes per game.

Avery Bradley out 6-8 weeks after surgery

avery bradley

L.A. Clippers guard Avery Bradley underwent surgery yesterday to repair adductor and rectus abdominus muscles. The procedure was performed today by Dr. Bill Meyers at the Vincera Institute, in Philadelphia. Recovery from this procedure is expected to take six to eight weeks.

Bradley, 27, has appeared in 46 games for the Clippers and Detroit Pistons this season, averaging 14.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 31.2 minutes.

Celtics trade Avery Bradley to Pistons for Marcus Morris

Celtics trade Avery Bradley to Pistons for Marcus Morris

The Detroit Pistons have acquired guard Avery Bradley and a 2019 second-round draft choice from the Boston Celtics in exchange for forward Marcus Morris.

Bradley, 26, averaged career highs in points (16.3 ppg), rebounds (6.1 rpg), assists (2.2 apg) and minutes (33.4 mpg) over 55 games for the Celtics last season. He shot 46.3% from the field and 39.0% from three-point range. In 18 postseason games, he averaged 16.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.3 steals in 35.8 minutes per game.

Drafted 19th overall by Boston in the 2010 NBA Draft, Bradley has averaged 12.1 points (.442 FG, .366 3FG), 3.1 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 28.1 minutes in 413 career NBA games. The seven-year guard has averaged 15.0 points and shot better than 35% from beyond the arc in each of the last four seasons. He was named to the NBA’s All-Defensive Second Team in 2013, the All-Defensive First Team in 2016 and finished sixth in the 2015-16 voting for NBA Defensive Player of the Year.

The 6-2, 180-pound native of Tacoma, WA, played collegiately for one season at the University of Texas where he averaged 11.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.1 assists and was named to the 2009-10 Big 12 All-Rookie Team. As a high schooler, he led Las Vegas’ Findlay Prep to the National High School Championship as a senior and was named the ESPNRISE.com High School National Player of the Year. Bradley was also a McDonald’s All-American, Jordan All-American and First-Team Parade Magazine All-American.

“It’s no secret that Avery had been one of my favorite players, and on behalf of our entire organization, I’d like to thank him and Ashley for all of their contributions on and off the court,” said Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge. “Avery did a lot of the dirty work and often didn’t get the recognition that he deserved, but our coaches, staff, his teammates, and our fans who watched him play every night appreciated what a special player and person he is.”

Continued Ainge: “We are excited to add a high-quality player with the versatile skillset that Marcus possesses. He will be a great fit for our team.”

marcus morris

A six-year NBA veteran, Morris, 27, has averaged 10.8 points (42.8% FG, 35.5% 3-PT, 71.7% FT), 4.2 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 26.2 minutes over 416 career games (218 starts) with Houston, Phoenix and Detroit. He is one of 20 NBA players to have averaged at least 13.9 points, 4.5 rebounds and shoot at least 33.0% from beyond the arc in each of the last two seasons.

In 79 games with Detroit in 2016-17, Morris (6-9, 235 lbs) averaged 14.0 points (41.8% FG, 33.1% 3-PT, 78.4% FT), 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 32.5 minutes. The University of Kansas product and Philadelphia, PA native produced career highs in points (14.1 ppg), rebounds (5.1 rpg), assists (2.5 apg) and minutes played (35.7 mpg) with the Pistons in 2015-16. His 2,856 minutes played that season ranked fifth throughout the NBA.

Avery Bradley set to return for Celtics

Celtics guard Avery Bradley (14.7 ppg, 2.4 rpg this season) is set to return for tomorrow’s game in Memphis against the Grizzlies. Here’s the Boston Herald reporting:

Avery Bradley set to return for Celtics

The Celtic offense has struggled of late, and Bradley believes the attack has tended too much toward individualism. He has the solution: “Just moving the ball; that’s the most important thing. You know, it’s not a bad thing, because we all want to win, but I feel like at times everybody wants to win the game so bad that they try to take the game over, take 3’s and taking shots that we can get at any time. It’s hard to figure that out sometimes when you’re a younger team or when things aren’t going well. Sometimes you play individual basketball. We need to play team basketball in order to be successful.”

Avery Bradley aims for all-defense first team

The Boston Celtics are in a transitional period. They’re rebuilding, and their best player, guard Rajon Rondo, is injured yet again, and may wind up being traded later this season. On the brighter side, they have some nice young talent. And they have Avery Bradley, who is proud to play super-aggressive defense, and aims to be an even better defender this season. Here’s ESPN Boston reporting:

Avery Bradley hopes to make all-defense first team

Coming off the best offensive season of his career, one that helped him secure a lucrative long-term extension, Boston Celtics shooting guard Avery Bradley said his primary goal for the 2014-15 season is reestablishing his reputation as a defense-first player.

“I want to be on the first team all-defense,” Bradley said Thursday when asked about his individual goals for new season. “I made the second team two years ago. That’s my No. 1 goal this year, but obviously I want to improve in every part of my game.”

Bradley averaged a career-best 14.9 points per game last season and shot nearly 40 percent from beyond the 3-point arc. At times, he was maybe Boston’s most aggressive shooter as reflected in a career-high 13.8 shots per game (up four attempts per game from the previous season). Maybe due in part to a new system and a rebuilding team, Bradley’s advanced defensive numbers — among the glitziest in the league two years ago — eroded a bit and he wasn’t the sort of shutdown presence that he’s shown he can be.