Still wouldn't solve our problems with the rebounding and shot blocking.
Avery can shut down anyone, but I we can't rebound it's useless. I love the kid, but I'd rather have Lee who can do a good job defensively as well (not Avery level) and have a Euro center who, while not have been in the playoffs, will still rebound and block shots for us than having a shutdown wing but we can't finish the defense because we allow offensive rebounds.
I disagree. I've said it before and I'll say it again - we've been a horrible rebounding team for years now, yet we've been one of the most successful teams in the league (in terms of wins and playoff wins) since the big 3 era due to our defense.
Right now our defense is poor. Today was an improvement, but one game is not enough...and it still wasn't quite where it needs to be.
Utah has been one of the best rebouding teams in the league this season and last season - where has it gotten them? Nowhere, because they are weak defensively.
When you give up an offensive rebound you give the other team another chance to score - but they still need to actually put it in the basket for it to mean anything.
If you give up a defensive rebound you give up another chance for you to score, but even if you got that rebound you still need to actually make the second shot for it to mean anything.
When you give up rebounds the opposing teams TAKE more shots. When you play bad defensively the opposing teams MAKE more shots. Which of those is more dangerous?
What is more of a difference maker - losing out on 5 offensive rebounds, or forcing 5 more turnovers with defensive pressure? When the opposing team throws the ball out of bounds, bounces it off their foot under pressure, throws it to the opposition, commits a backcourt violation or gets a 24 second / 10 second violaton then what rebound is there to secure?
Bradley makes a big enough difference on defense that he may be able to bring us back to being an elite defensive team - top 10 and maybe even top 5. If we can do this while continuing to score as well as we have so far, we'd be a dominant team regardless of whether we can get rebounds or not.
If we can somehow give up Lee + Bas or Lee + Sully and get Gortat in return, then it's Win-win. We improve our offense, improve our defense AND improve our rebounding compared to last year. Imagine Bradley's defensive pressure combined with Rondo's quick hands on the perimeter, and then Gortat and KG on the inside as the second line of defense? Plus Pierce is no slouch defensively either.
As I said, it's a REALLY hard decision to make if the move involves Bradley. It's really 50/50 on whether we'd be better or worse for it.