Avery Bradley

[MoV]

Hey guys, first time posting. I read this thing consistently but never bothered to make a user name and to post... finally decided to.

If we don't get the 1-2 pick, and draft big first, I think the kings should consider trying to move up with their second round pick and try to catch Texas' G Avery Bradley at the late teens/early twenties.

This kid has skills, is an excellent defender. Though he's undersized (6'3 for a SG) if we play him up front with Tyreke, they both will benefit from each other.

ESPN Inside just did an article on his evaluation in Vegas:

http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/blog?name=nba_draft&id=5185822

What do you guys think?

 

[Arby's Roast Beef]

I've never really taken to Bradley--he's a poor scorer at the next level, poor rebounder and extremely paltry passer. Offensively he also isn't very efficient--he doesn't get to the line and while he'll probably be an average three point shooter at the next level, there's questions about his shooting ability if his free throw percentage has any say in this. Certainly a lot of this has to do with the role Texas put him in--he's a low possession PG (that's quite rare in college), the worst among college PGs at getting to the line, and rarely turns the ball over, so he was used in a spot-up role more or less. But that doesn't help his NBA cause any, and he's just living off the idea that teams can convert him into a very good 6'3" contain defender type (he's an above average shotblocker for his size) and that appears to be his only one good trick for the time being. He's just so paltry everywhere else, it's hard to see him succeeding beyond a defensive niche role (meaning 7th-8th man at best). He could sorely use another year in school. I already find it hard to believe he's a first rounder, and in many respects he's not that much different from Armon Johnson, another player I'm skeptical about. Even I thought last year that Jrue Holiday had some passing ability which is why he's displayed that this year--so I'm even more skeptical about Bradley than I was about someone like Holiday.

 

[bajaden]

First off, Bradley should have gone back to school. He has few if any point guard skills at present, and at his size he needs to at least resemble a combo guard if not a point guard. He's not a bad ballhandler and has nice form on his outside shot. But he's been an erratic shooter from the outside. And as pointed out, he's a terrible freethrow shooter, which doesn't bode well for his outside shot.

He has great end to end speed and shows good quickness with the ball in his hands. But he's not a good finisher at the basket. Rather than go all the way to the basket he usually pulls up for a mid-range shot, or throws up a floater. If he has trouble finishing at the college level, it doesn't bode well for the NBA level.

What he has going for him is that he's a very good athlete an despite being listed at 6'3" (we'll see) he has very long arms which allows him to play bigger or longer if you will, than his height would suggest. He was a very good defender in college, and for starters, thats the thing he has to bring to the table big time to make it in the NBA.

In another thread I suggested that he may someone we look back on 4 years from now and wish we would have grabbed him. Both he and Bledsoe have been compared to Westbrook when he came out of college. I don't see the comparison at all except for the athleticism. Anyway, make no mistake about it. Bradley is a big work in progress. He would be a good pick for someone that can afford to draft a player for perimiter defense alone. I don't think the Kings have that luxury.