Avery Bradley is not a point guard

[PhoSita]

It's when you ask him to be a primary playmaker and ballhandler that you're going to run into serious roadblocks.

No-one has, or is asking him to do this. At least not in the sense I understand the role of a basketball playmaker (call plays, control the tempo, manufacture shots when plays break down).

I've seen him asked to do two things:

1. Bring the ball across half-court.
2. Participate in offense-by-committee.

The problem is that every time he has to do anything else than sit in the corner or cut to the basket for open layups, he's been exposed for his lack of reliable fundamental basketball skills.

Yup.  Bradley has very little skill or polish on the offensive end.  I get the sense that at lower levels of competition he was able to get by with his speed and a simple crossover-to-pull-up-J move, but in the NBA it's not nearly as effective because the talent level is so much higher.

To be successful Bradley needs to be a strictly Corner-3-and-D player with the occasional backdoor cut.

[kozlodoev]

Avery is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league?

Defense is half the game.  I agree the offense is ugly to watch but Avery is still an outstanding defender.

Yes, but offense is also half the game. So when you're also one of the worst offensive players in the game, you're... average at best?

[Bankshot]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

[nickagneta]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

[Eja117]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

True but players can also lose confidence sitting the bench and gain confidence playing.

[Shamrocker]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

Putting my objections to your premise aside, if you're concerned about "ruining" Pressey than just make Crawford the primary ball handler. Or sign a stopgap until Rondo is ready.

[Shamrocker]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

One more thing, you talk of destroying Pressey's confidence. But what about AB? Where do you think his confidence is right now? He's a young guy being put in position he can't possibly excel at.

[nickagneta]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

One more thing, you talk of destroying Pressey's confidence. But what about AB? Where do you think his confidence is right now? He's a young guy being put in position he can't possibly excel at.

AB is a vet with a ton of experience. He understands the situation. You are going to kill the confidence of a 3+ year NBA veteran that is used to playing big NBA minutes.

[LooseCannon]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

Putting my objections to your premise aside, if you're concerned about "ruining" Pressey than just make Crawford the primary ball handler. Or sign a stopgap until Rondo is ready.

The team can't sign a stopgap without going into luxury tax territory.  Arguably, Ainge may have made a mistake by giving an undrafted rookie a contract with guaranteed money, so he can't simply be cut and replaced.

[RJ87]

Avery is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league?

Defense is half the game.  I agree the offense is ugly to watch but Avery is still an outstanding defender.

Yes, but offense is also half the game. So when you're also one of the worst offensive players in the game, you're... average at best?

Agreed. He's a great defender but his terribleness on the offensive end starts to negate that defensive impact.

If only we could play him on defensive possessions, we'd be in good shape. (This is sarcasm btw, I know we can't do this)

[kozlodoev]

If only we could play him on defensive possessions, we'd be in good shape. (This is sarcasm btw, I know we can't do this)

Sadly, there are no designated hitters in the NBA.

[nickagneta]

You guys also seem to be ignoring the second part of what I said. Its the easiest way to lose a locker room.

There's a bunch of vets on that team. If they feel for one minute untested rookies are getting minutes over them undeservedly and start talking amongst each other, you could lose the locker room.

Once that happens a team and coach is doomed. Changes have to occur to attempt to lure potential future free agents because word of what the coach is doing will get around the league quick making Boston an undesirable place for vets.

Doc was hated by many around here but is one of the most respected coaches in the league, especially amongst veterans. Why? Because he develops his young players the right way and makes them earn their time over vets.

Veteran players respect that type of atmosphere knowing that as long as they play their game, they won't be sitting because management wants to develop their young through a baptism by fire concept costing them playing time.

[Shamrocker]

Pressey should be starting at point guard.  I don't care if he's a rookie.  This team is not going anywhere anyway.  Play him!

What if you play him, he plays poorly, loses his confidence and he never gains it back? Then, because you have rushed a player that wasn't ready yet, you may have destroyed what could have been a good asset going forward.

Make players earn playing time. You don't just give them playing time. Giving players time they haven't earned or aren't ready for yet is the best way for a coach to destroy a player and lose the respect of the other players in the locker room.

One more thing, you talk of destroying Pressey's confidence. But what about AB? Where do you think his confidence is right now? He's a young guy being put in position he can't possibly excel at.

AB is a vet with a ton of experience. He understands the situation. You are going to kill the confidence of a 3+ year NBA veteran that is used to playing big NBA minutes.

That's patently and demonstratively false. Sports is riddled with players who have had their confidence crushed and have never been able to recover. See Greg Zahn, Chuck Knoblauch, Rick Aniel and Chuck Hayes among others.

[kozlodoev]

That's patently and demonstratively false. Sports is riddled with players who have had their confidence crushed and have never been able to recover. See Greg Zahn, Chuck Knoblauch, Rick Aniel and Chuck Hayes among others.

Chuck Hayes, really?!

[Shamrocker]

Avery is one of the best perimeter defenders in the league?

Defense is half the game.  I agree the offense is ugly to watch but Avery is still an outstanding defender.

Yes, but offense is also half the game. So when you're also one of the worst offensive players in the game, you're... average at best?

Agreed. He's a great defender but his terribleness on the offensive end starts to negate that defensive impact.

If only we could play him on defensive possessions, we'd be in good shape. (This is sarcasm btw, I know we can't do this)

TP