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Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Last updated: 9/30/2019
Summary
Bradley had an opportunity to show that he could be a solid backup center during the '19-'20 season with the Jazz, and failed to prove to be at that level. The Jazz were much worse with Gobert off the floor (which, to be fair, still continued this past season, although not to the same extent), and overall didn't trust Bradley with playoff minutes. The Jazz gave away picks just to move Bradley and get enough room under the hard cap to replace him with Derrick Favors. Bradley was traded multiple times over the past year and ended up finishing the season in Oklahoma City.
Bradley has shot well at the rim for the majority of his career, as his eFG% has been near the top of the league over the past two seasons. He has decent hands and works hard on the glass, especially on the offensive glass, as his offense rebounding rate is also near the top of the league. However, Bradley isn't athletic enough to be much of a lob threat, and doesn't have the range to stretch the floor at all either. It's hard to be a productive center in today's NBA without either of those skills.
On defense, Bradley can use his size to protect the rim, but he's slow-footed and will get cooked if he has to try and defend on the perimeter at all. Bradley is only 23, so we could see some improvement, but I don't think Bradley is much more than a third center whose value is a minimum contract.
Cap Considerations
Bradley will be a restricted free agent with a $10.6 million cap hold and a $5.3 million Qualifying Offer. If the Thunder do not have interest in bringing back Bradley they could refuse to tender him a QO, making him an unrestricted free agent. With Bradley's QO being above his market value, I expect them to not offer him the QO, even if they want to try to bring him back.
Other teams will have multiple ways to Bradley as even teams without cap space could possibly use either of the Non-Taxpayer MLE, Taxpayer MLE, or possibly even the Room MLE to sign him to an offer sheet or outright as an unrestricted free agent.
Potential Teams: Thunder, Raptors, Wizards, Hornets, Kings
Predicted Contract: 1-year, $1.8 million ($1.7 million cap hit) with the Thunder
Actual Contract: 2-year, $3.8 million (player option) with the Bulls
Bradley signed for the minimum, but was able to get a second year player option, so he did a little better than I expected, and is currently looking like the primary backup center for Chicago.
Last updated: 8/16/2021
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