C's and Bradley not close on a contract extension

[Eddie20]

http://nesn.com/2013/09/avery-bradley-celtics-not-close-to-contract-extension-could-wait-until-next-summer-to-begin-talks/

Avery Bradley is entering the last season before he becomes eligible for restricted free agency in 2014. The Celtics only have a little more than a month left before they would need to table contract extension talks until next summer, and the team sounds content to wait. Bradley and the Celtics will “most likely” wait until after the season to have substantive negotiations, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said during an appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s Toucher & Rich on Tuesday morning. The most Ainge would say will happen until next summer is that Bradley’s representatives and the team “may talk” in October. The negotiation window closes on Oct. 31 and cannot be reopened until the season ends. Head coach Brad Stevens, speaking after Ainge, said he foresees a major role for Bradley as a ballhandler this season while Rajon Rondo recovers from his ACL injury. “Avery is a guy I really believe in,” Stevens said. “I think Avery has a lot of opportunity to be a very, very good player on both ends of the floor. I don’t know exactly how we’ll progress from here, as far as that goes with regard to if Rajon is in, who’s in what role, but I know Avery will be on the court.” Bradley struggled as the Celtics’ primary ballhandler last season after Rondo’s injury. It seeped over to the defensive end in the playoffs, when Knicks guard Raymond Felton became the rare ballhandler to consistently beat Bradley off the dribble and out of the pick and roll.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Uh-O...then we will need TWILL, who would paly for easily $500,000.00 a year...and is bigger and better than Bradley....less injury prone...and can do more....

[PhoSita]

Makes sense.  If Bradley wanted an extension right now he'd have to settle for no more than 3 or 4 million a year.  It makes a lot more sense for him to try to prove himself this year and maybe even sign an offer sheet next year if this year is up and down for him.

So far he's been little more than a defensive role player.  Those guys don't get paid very much in this league.

[Celtics18]

I agree with Pho on this one.  I'm guessing Avery is thinking he can earn more by his play this season than Danny is willing to commit right now. 

It's not necessarily a bad thing to have him playing (at least to an extent) for his next pay check. 

[manl_lui]

Uh-O...then we will need TWILL, who would paly for easily $500,000.00 a year...and is bigger and better than Bradley....less injury prone...and can do more....

cheaper - yes
offensively better - debatable
defensively better - no
injury prone - debatable

[fitzhickey]

Uh-O...then we will need TWILL, who would paly for easily $500,000.00 a year...and is bigger and better than Bradley....less injury prone...and can do more....

cheaper - yes
offensively better - debatable
defensively better - no
injury prone - debatable

T-Will is offensively better IMO but his defense gets blown out of the water by AB

[indeedproceed]

Makes no sense for either side I think. Avery Bradley, kinda still in the nebulous world of 'is he worth paying to keep around or not?' and since if he pans out you'll probably end up paying him roughly the same as he wants now, and he'll be a RFA, no worries.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Bradley is Important to a team that is Good---Dime a Dozen player to a rebuilding team...NO reason to Over-Pay for him right now....you don't wanna tie up money in these type of players during a rebuild.

[green147]

How is one of the best defenders in the NBA a dime a dozen??

[LatterDayCelticsfan]

C`mon! The only area TWill is fo sure better than Bradley is ball handling. Bradley`s  got a better shot (it will show with time) is a better cutter, and is hands down one of the elite perimeter defenders in the NBA.

[Galeto]

C`mon! The only area TWill is fo sure better than Bradley is ball handling. Bradley`s  got a better shot (it will show with time) is a better cutter, and is hands down one of the elite perimeter defenders in the NBA.

T-Will's a better passer, no?  I don't know why T-Will is being compared to Bradley but as far as perimeter skills go, passing and ball handling are two pretty big things.

Anyway, I would've been more shocked to read that the Celtics and Bradley were closing in on a deal.  I figure the Celtics are uncertain about Bradley's worth and that Bradley feels he'll be able to shoot more consistently and be worth an additional 3-4 million more per season.

[86MaxwellSmart]

How is one of the best defenders in the NBA a dime a dozen??

Cause he's a specialist...Great Defender...means A LOT to a team that is competing for a ring---we're obviously not. We have to put our money into Great players if we can--no use giving the Specialists of this league Big money...He's a restricted free agent after this season I believe---if he plays great, fine-pay him.

[truthhurts34]

4 year 20 million contract is fair.

[gpap]

Uh-O...then we will need TWILL, who would paly for easily $500,000.00 a year...and is bigger and better than Bradley....less injury prone...and can do more....

Suddenly, Telfair doesn't seem so bad.

[timpiker]

good move - see if the kid can play a full season