Utah Jazz Best/Worst Case Series: Bradley’s sophomore season outlook
Utah Jazz big man Tony Bradley made a name for himself during summer league and will look to carry that momentum into training camp and earn more minutes in his second NBA season.
Coming into the NBA, Tony Bradley knew what kind of role he would have during his first season with the Utah Jazz. He knew he was a project, he knew he wouldn’t get a lot of minutes and he knew he’d be spending a lot of time in the G-League.
He played in just nine games with the Jazz, and didn’t get meaningful minutes in those games. However, his time in the G-League really helped him and you saw that during summer league, where the 20-year-old showcased a much more polished game compared to the year before.
Bradley is still very young, but I would assume a goal for him is to get more playing time with the Jazz in 2018-19. Time tells all things, so soon enough we will see if Bradley gets his chance.
Best-Case Scenario
The best-case scenario for Bradley would be jumping ahead of Ekpe Udoh in the rotation and playing some backup center. Udoh didn’t play a huge role for the Jazz last season, but he appeared in 63 games and always stayed ready.
If Bradley can jump up in and snag that role, he’d have more stability on the Jazz roster. Injuries always come into play, so that could also shake things up and get Bradley some playing time as well.
We do see Derrick Favors play that backup center role pretty often, but if Bradley can stay ready and come into the game when needed, he’ll earn more and more trust in the coaching staff. Whether he’s replacing someone in foul trouble, or someone who is just flat-out playing poorly, Bradley has to be ready to play when his name is called.
Playing himself into this kind of role would be big for Bradley. He obviously didn’t get much NBA experience in his first season, but getting a consistent spot on the bench instead of playing in the G-League would be a jump for him.
Specific areas where I hope to see Bradley improve as a sophomore in the NBA would be defensively and shooting. He’s shown glimpses of his defensive potential, but needs to be more consistent and always play with energy. He has extremely long arms, and a solid frame, so you can see the defensive upside.
We’ve seen him step outside and shoot the mid-range shot pretty comfortably. Extending that out to the 3-point line and becoming a stretch-five would be big for Bradley as he looks to grow as an NBA player.
Worst-Case Scenario
The worst-case scenario for Bradley would be spending another year playing, for the most part, in the G-League. He has the talent to produce at the NBA level, so it would be disappointing to not get a good look at him on an NBA floor.
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The G-League is a great way to develop players, don’t get me wrong. I love the way the G-League is going, and think it’s a such a good option for young players. However, Bradley really does look ready to play in NBA games.
If he doesn’t take advantage of the opportunity and fails to impress, it’s going to be hard for him to get playing time, especially on a deep team like the Jazz.
Bradley is going to have plenty of competition for minutes this season, but his future is looking bright, and I personally expect him to get a lot more chances as a second-year player. He’s a unique project for the Jazz, so hopefully we can see him on the court more often this season.