Utah Jazz: Complete 2017 offseason grades
By Adam Coffman
The upside play: Tony Bradley
With their second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Jazz again traded up two spots to select University of North Carolina big man Tony Bradley with the 28th pick. Although he’d been mocked around the late first round all summer, just looking at the numbers doesn’t paint the picture of an up-and-coming prospect.
In his lone collegiate season, Bradley put up 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds in just over 15 minutes per game while playing off the bench behind established upperclassmen like Kennedy Meeks and Isaiah Hicks.
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However, his measurables (248 pounds, 7’5″ wingspan) are enough to convince most executives that he has a future playing the modern 5. He’s raw on both ends, but does have a couple of developed skills, most notably his knack for rebounding.
This was evident in Summer League, where most of his points came on offensive rebounds and put-backs. He also flashed a mid-range jump shot that could be useful in the pick-and-pop game down the road.
Before he cracks the rotation, Bradley will have to learn the finer points of defending and operating in the pick-and-roll, as well as how to use his wingspan to block shots. There’s a long way to go before he can become serviceable.
He wasn’t a win-now pick, but Bradley might be able to one day take over the backup center position.
Grade: C