Will this be Avery Bradley's breakout year?

[CelticG1]

I sure hope I am wrong, but Avery Bradley seems a lot closer to a Gabe Pruitt than he does a star PG in this league. Not good enough decision making or handles to be a PG, and not big enough to be a SG. I think he’s at best a bench scorer for his career. I’d like to see that production this year though. Something at least.

People are completely forgetting the defensive side of the ball. Even in limited action I think you can say he is pretty impressive on that side of the ball.

I don't see why he couldn't have a Tony Allen type role for this team as a Defensive stopper on PG's and some SG's for 15 20 min a game.

Throw him on Rose, Westbrook, Nelson, Wall, Jennings, etc like we did with TA on Kobe, James, Wade, Carter etc.

He probably isn't as good running the break as TA on offense but he seems like he is at least a better shooter on offense so not a complete liability.

No, we're not. While he's physically pretty impressive in terms of his ability to move on the defensive end, there is more than that where defending in the framework of an NBA team is concerned.

So what's the deal? You think he is a bust? Too young? When is he allowed to see the court? The guy played 3 minutes of garbage time every 10 games. In every minute I saw him play he seemed extremely aggressive on defense and seemed very coachable. Yeah he wasn't great on offense but there are plenty of guys in this league who can play that are a liability on offense or defense and can still play

[CelticG1]

I sure hope I am wrong, but Avery Bradley seems a lot closer to a Gabe Pruitt than he does a star PG in this league. Not good enough decision making or handles to be a PG, and not big enough to be a SG. I think he’s at best a bench scorer for his career. I’d like to see that production this year though. Something at least.

People are completely forgetting the defensive side of the ball. Even in limited action I think you can say he is pretty impressive on that side of the ball.

I don't see why he couldn't have a Tony Allen type role for this team as a Defensive stopper on PG's and some SG's for 15 20 min a game.

Throw him on Rose, Westbrook, Nelson, Wall, Jennings, etc like we did with TA on Kobe, James, Wade, Carter etc.

He probably isn't as good running the break as TA on offense but he seems like he is at least a better shooter on offense so not a complete liability.

While he absolutely has the tools, he still has a long way to go defensively.  Even at the end of the year, he still was having a very difficult time overplaying guys, and he got burned way too many times.

I can't deny that the talent is there, but this kid has a ton to learn, on both sides of the ball, before he is even a useful NBA player, let alone any more than that.

Yeah I think 15 minutes a game and he can learn a lot. I mean it took TA 4 years to not bite on a pump fake and he still got decent PT.

Give Bradley minutes and I think he will become a lot better/more consistently defensively. I wouldn't bet on his offense right away but I think defense is a lot more easy to get acclimated to especially when you possess the tools he has.

Until he builds up that base of fundamentals, he needs to be staying, for the most part in lower pressure situations, such as practice and the D-League.  That way he can concentrate on building up that foundation.   

Really the D league?? That's the last place I want to see him end up. First of all has that ever worked out for us? Second of all does it ever work out for any NBA team? Yes it does but I'd be willing to guess that it is extremely rare. Is the D-League really the place to build your fundamentals? I highly doubt that. That's why Orien Green is an All-star D leaguer and Antione Walker is in the league.

If anything it probably hurts Bradley's development. He is better than most of the guys in that league and can gamble on defense and probably do whatever he wants on offense.

Please god do not send him to the no discipline league

[Chris]

I sure hope I am wrong, but Avery Bradley seems a lot closer to a Gabe Pruitt than he does a star PG in this league. Not good enough decision making or handles to be a PG, and not big enough to be a SG. I think he’s at best a bench scorer for his career. I’d like to see that production this year though. Something at least.

People are completely forgetting the defensive side of the ball. Even in limited action I think you can say he is pretty impressive on that side of the ball.

I don't see why he couldn't have a Tony Allen type role for this team as a Defensive stopper on PG's and some SG's for 15 20 min a game.

Throw him on Rose, Westbrook, Nelson, Wall, Jennings, etc like we did with TA on Kobe, James, Wade, Carter etc.

He probably isn't as good running the break as TA on offense but he seems like he is at least a better shooter on offense so not a complete liability.

While he absolutely has the tools, he still has a long way to go defensively.  Even at the end of the year, he still was having a very difficult time overplaying guys, and he got burned way too many times.

I can't deny that the talent is there, but this kid has a ton to learn, on both sides of the ball, before he is even a useful NBA player, let alone any more than that.

Yeah I think 15 minutes a game and he can learn a lot. I mean it took TA 4 years to not bite on a pump fake and he still got decent PT.

Give Bradley minutes and I think he will become a lot better/more consistently defensively. I wouldn't bet on his offense right away but I think defense is a lot more easy to get acclimated to especially when you possess the tools he has.

Until he builds up that base of fundamentals, he needs to be staying, for the most part in lower pressure situations, such as practice and the D-League.  That way he can concentrate on building up that foundation.   

Really the D league?? That's the last place I want to see him end up. First of all has that ever worked out for us? Second of all does it ever work out for any NBA team? Yes it does but I'd be willing to guess that it is extremely rare. Is the D-League really the place to build your fundamentals? I highly doubt that. That's why Orien Green is an All-star D leaguer and Antione Walker is in the league.

If anything it probably hurts Bradley's development. He is better than most of the guys in that league and can gamble on defense and probably do whatever he wants on offense.

Please god do not send him to the no discipline league

Fair enough, then he can sit no the bench in street clothes, and practice against the big boys.  I just don't think anything good comes from throwing a kid like that into the deep end before he is ready. 

[ianboyextreme]

"Fair enough, then he can sit no the bench in street clothes, and practice against the big boys.  I just don't think anything good comes from throwing a kid like that into the deep end before he is ready."

Yeah, you don't want to throw a young player into something he's not ready for, but you also don't want to keep a player in a situation where his skills aern't being pushed to the max.

A year in the d-league is enough. He's ready for the nba, Doc just needs to manage his minutes well.

Another thing- point guards have a somewhat natural affinity for the position. If Bradley is not geared toward PG, especially if he is more geared toward SG, then he should play the 2 spot. And i really don't think you have to be big to play that position, as long as you can score, your suited for it. I mean it's not small foward. Plus, if we have dreams of him ever starting, we already have a point guard.

[LooseCannon]

I still feel that Bradley's upside is poor man's Ben Gordon on offense (not as good a shooter, but also not a ball hog) with lockdown defense.  I think that's a better comparison than seeing him as a potential Russell Westbrook-type player and the Celtics should groom him for that sort of role.

[Eja117]

It's only a matter of time before Mr. Ainge tells us if Marcus Banks were coming out in this draft he'd be a sure thing #1 overall pick

[MBunge]

He's been on the books for a year now.
Hasn't had much opportunity because of the number 1 PG on our team.

He hasn't had much opportunity because he was god-awful. Otherwise, there were plenty of minutes available in the guard rotation this season.

Dump on Avery Bradley.  Defend Big Baby to the death.  Makes sense to me.

Mike

[erisred]

at this point he has a foot in the nba due to defense and promise
it'll look like a breakout because last year he looked like a kid in a mans game

a backcourt of rondo & bradley is nice to think about (defensively)

What did Red say about what happens with a player going from his first to his second year?

If he is going to break out, he'll show it this coming year. It may be inconsistent (consistency comes with time), but if he is ever going to have it he'll start showing it in year two.

[Evantime34]

at this point he has a foot in the nba due to defense and promise
it'll look like a breakout because last year he looked like a kid in a mans game

a backcourt of rondo & bradley is nice to think about (defensively)

What did Red say about what happens with a player going from his first to his second year?

If he is going to break out, he'll show it this coming year. It may be inconsistent (consistency comes with time), but if he is ever going to have it he'll start showing it in year two.

Can someone give me that exact quote?

[EJPLAYA]

He's been on the books for a year now.
Hasn't had much opportunity because of the number 1 PG on our team.

He hasn't had much opportunity because he was god-awful. Otherwise, there were plenty of minutes available in the guard rotation this season.

Dump on Avery Bradley.  Defend Big Baby to the death.  Makes sense to me.

Mike

LOL. Exactly what I was thinking. Funny how you can have a player that you “like” and nothing he does will ever change your mind. It was kind of like when we drafter Michael Smith out of BYU. I was CERTAIN that guy was going to replace Bird when he retired and be the future. At some point you just have to realize they don’t have the tools or what you thought they could develop into. BBD is clearly there for me already, and Avery I think is headed that way. At least we haven’t seen 4 years of court evidence to prove it yet...

[CelticG1]

Does anyone else find it odd that people think that Avery Bradley can not pay 10-15 minutes a game for this team? A team that has had Nate Robinson and Eddie House as a back up PG for the past few years? Are those guys really that much more worthy of getting 20 minutes a game than Bradely is to get 10? I mean no matter how you want to slice it, team defense, one on one defense, whatever I think Bradley would be better than those guys with a blindfold.

[Rondo_is_better]

Implying Avery Bradley will ever break out...

[greenpride32]

Does anyone else find it odd that people think that Avery Bradley can not pay 10-15 minutes a game for this team? A team that has had Nate Robinson and Eddie House as a back up PG for the past few years? Are those guys really that much more worthy of getting 20 minutes a game than Bradely is to get 10? I mean no matter how you want to slice it, team defense, one on one defense, whatever I think Bradley would be better than those guys with a blindfold.

Bradley looked very lost on the floor last year.  House and Nate both had some experience at the NBA level; they could handle it.  Let's just put it this way; as bad as Eddie and Nate are, they are still in the NBA.  There's a lot of top recruits, lottery picks, NCAA All-Americans that have come and gone since they've been around.  They've proven they belong, at least as fringe NBA players.  The verdict is stil out on AB.

[CelticG1]

Does anyone else find it odd that people think that Avery Bradley can not pay 10-15 minutes a game for this team? A team that has had Nate Robinson and Eddie House as a back up PG for the past few years? Are those guys really that much more worthy of getting 20 minutes a game than Bradely is to get 10? I mean no matter how you want to slice it, team defense, one on one defense, whatever I think Bradley would be better than those guys with a blindfold.

Bradley looked very lost on the floor last year.  House and Nate both had some experience at the NBA level; they could handle it.  Let's just put it this way; as bad as Eddie and Nate are, they are still in the NBA.  There's a lot of top recruits, lottery picks, NCAA All-Americans that have come and gone since they've been around.  They've proven they belong, at least as fringe NBA players.  The verdict is stil out on AB.

I just don't get statements like these. So you are saying he looked "lost" in the final 2 minutes of a game during garbage time every 10 games or so? He looked "lost" with Harangody, Wafer, and Baby on the court? I don't know what people are expecting during garbage time. I think the one thing you can show is defense and effort and I thought Bradley gave that. But at that point in the game does anyone not look lost? Most people don't even play defense at that point and on offense people just look for their own shot. That's why during garbage time any time Baby or Wafer touch the ball they don't let go of it.

Maybe I am overrating his defense a little bit but I don't see how you can say that much negative with such a small sample and pretty much irrelevant sample (garbage time). Not to mention "looking lost" might have to do with playing with 4 other bench players in a meaningless blowout with 2 minutes left

[manl_lui]

i hope Avery will have a breakout year unlike the past 3 years rookies: Billy, Luke, Semih, etc

I really like Avery and i want him to blossom here