NBA Rumors: Warriors Could Sign Avery Bradley As Fill-In For Injured Klay Thompson, Per ‘NBC Sports’
Although he may be coming off a down year, it looks like veteran combo guard Avery Bradley might be an option for the Golden State Warriors as they retool their lineup in the aftermath of Kevin Durant’s impending departure via free agency and Klay Thompson’s ACL injury.
As quoted in a report from NBC Sports Bay Area, David Aldridge of The Athletic wrote on Friday night that the Grizzlies “aren’t finished” making changes to their roster this offseason and trying to free up salary cap space. Citing an unnamed source, Aldridge explained that the Grizzlies recently waived Bradley and would be paying him only $2 million out of the $12.9 million salary that “would have been guaranteed last Thursday.”
Commenting on the apparent roster move, NBC Sports Bay Area speculated that Bradley could fit in well with the Warriors, despite the fact that the team could only sign him to a veteran’s minimum contract. With Thompson expected to miss most of the 2019-20 season as he recovers from the ACL tear he suffered in Game 6 of this year’s NBA Finals, Bradley could see quality minutes for Golden State while filling in for the All-NBA shooting guard, the outlet added.
“The nine-year pro could help at both guard positions off the bench, and help more offensive-minded guards like Steph Curry and D’Angelo Russell when it comes to following the opposing team’s top-scoring backcourt players,” NBC Sports Bay Area wrote.
A two-time All-Defensive selection, the 28-year-old Bradley averaged 16.1 points in 14 games for the Grizzlies after he was acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers midway through the 2018-19 season. His scoring numbers for the entire year, however, were his lowest since his sophomore pro season, as the former first-round pick averaged a combined 9.9 points and shot just 35.1 percent from three-point range for both the Clippers and the Grizzlies.
Grizzlies will also waive Avery Bradley, per @davidaldridgedc pic.twitter.com/dOADOQbwbV
— Bleacher Report NBA (@BR_NBA) July 6, 2019
Avery Bradley might not be the only proven veteran to be let go by Memphis in the ongoing NBA offseason, Citing ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, CBS Sports reported on Friday that the Grizzlies will likely waive eight-time All-Star center Dwight Howard after acquiring him from the Washington Wizards for journeyman forward/guard C.J. Miles. The outlet added that the Grizzlies apparently have no plans to buy out the contract of 2015 NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala, who was acquired last week in a trade with the Warriors.
As for Golden State, the Warriors have agreed to sign a number of players since this year’s free agency period started on Sunday. Aside from former Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell, the team will reportedly be adding former Sacramento Kings center Willie Cauley-Stein and former Detroit Pistons wingman Glenn Robinson III once the NBA’s signing moratorium ends on Saturday afternoon, per TSN.
