Avery Bradley and an early look at the Sixers 2018 free agency position

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a position to strike big next summer. Could Avery Bradley be on the team’s radar? How well does he fit along side the current core?

Bryan Colangelo had a plan this summer,  making it a goal to only give out one-year deals for veteran free agents. By bringing in sharpshooter J.J. Redick and Amir Johnson, both on one-year contracts, the Sixers kept all flexibility with money going forward.

Philadelphia 76ers

According to Zach Lowe, the rest of the NBA is wondering what the Sixers are up to with this strategy, as they appear to be preparing to pursue a big-time free agent.

The team is currently slated to have the most cap space in the NBA next summer with $61,145,964, however, that number will change as there will be new and more lucrative salaries on some players like Joel Embiid, Robert Covington, and potentially a few others. The team could also create more space by declining Jahlil Okafor‘s fourth year option, not submitting the qualifying offer for Nik Stauskas, or not picking up Justin Anderson‘s team option.

It makes complete sense the Sixers are bracing themselves to bring in a max-contract player, but who? Looking ahead to next summer’s free agent list, one name sticks out as a perfect fit for the Sixers in guard Avery Bradley.

As previously mentioned, Redick was only inked to a one-year contract and is already 33 years old, meaning the Sixers still need a long term answer to fill that role.

Bradley will be 27 at the time of his free agency and looking to cash in after being one of the more underpaid players in the league these past few seasons. He was recently traded to the Detroit Pistons from the Boston Celtics, who needed cap relief to sign Gordon Hayward.

Bradley’s best tool is his elite defensive ability. Widely regarded as one of the leagues best perimeter defenders, he achieved All-Defensive first team in 2016 and many came to his support when he was left off the 2017 defensive teams, including Philadelphia’s own Joel Embiid.

Some of his defensive numbers slipped in 2017, such as points allowed per possession, but many attribute that to injury issues he faced. As for the eye test, he looks pretty good to me:

Bradley has proven to be a reliable player on the offensive end, shooting 39 percent from three last season on five attempts per game. Bradley averaged 16.3 points and 6.1 total rebounds last season, both career highs.

Bradley’s current fit with the Sixers roster is just about perfect. Defensively, a lineup featuring Bradley, Covington, and Embiid would be one of the most ferocious units in the league. This trio would allow for Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons to worry less about having to guard the other teams elite scorers and more on using their big frames and long arms to create turnovers and block shots.

With Bradley and Covington on the two best opposing perimeter players and Embiid surveying the paint, there is no doubt the Sixers would have one of the premier and most feared defensive lineups in the league. Brett Brown has been known to get the most out of his players defensively and with the frames and natural abilities of Fultz and Simmons those two as well could become above average defenders.

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Offensively, Bradley would be looked to as a fourth option behind Embiid, Fultz, and Simmons where he could thrive getting less attention from opposing defenses and more catch-and-shoot opportunities. He is known to be at his best offensively when others create shots for him and he can just knock them down.

Bradley has also been known to hit big shots down the stretch, nailing buzzer-beating threes against the Cavs two years in a row for victories.

With all of this said, the idea is still a long way from potentially coming true. The Sixers are going to be one of the most exciting teams in the NBA this season with a young core playoff hunting for the first time in years.

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Bradley is over 11 months from becoming an unrestricted free agent, but Sixers fans, be on the lookout throughout the 2017-18 season on his situation. He may just be the final long-term piece to complete the Sixers starting lineup for years to come.