2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Avery Bradley: 2 years, $25 million (Los Angeles Clippers)
Does anyone know what the Los Angeles Clippers are doing right now? No franchise is more frustratingly toeing the line between blowing it up and trying to remain competitive, and that’s with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan all out the door. Right when it seemed like the Clips were ready for a new chapter after Lob City, they re-sign Avery Bradley to this sizable deal.
If the second year is non-guaranteed or is a team option, this won’t look so bad. Other than that though, retaining Bradley for two years at a price significantly higher than his likely market value makes little to no sense — especially after using two lottery picks on guards in the draft.
Bradley had a down year due to injuries and a statistical abnormality where his teams’ defenses performed significantly better when the 3-and-D guard was on the bench. Even so, he posted 14.3 points per game on 36.9 percent 3-point shooting in 46 games between Detroit and Los Angeles. In theory, Bradley can help the Clippers in the short-term as they transition to the younger guards, setting an example on the defensive end and letting Doc Rivers keep one of his guys.
But this is a pretty large commitment to a guy who played six games in the Clippers uniform and missed nearly half the season in total. Bradley is a useful player when healthy, but that’s no guarantee. He’ll take away minutes from the younger guys since he’s still only 27, he hasn’t been the same since Boston and it really feels like the Clippers were bidding against themselves. This is a head-scratcher.
Bourguet Grade: C-
Hoops Habit Grade: B