Avery Bradley: 2nd best SG in the Eastern Conference

[fitzhickey]

Bradley is solid on both ends. If he's the second best 2 guard in the East, it isn't by much .. .and that's even with a big step up.

Stephenson seems like a better overall player, given size, range, ball handling and crazy.

DeRozan is doing well. In prime.

D Wade will be hit or miss. I'd rather have Bradley at this point bc he's on the upswing of his career but D Wade could pull a rabbit out and have a good year.

Beal has a super sweet jumper. Love it. I'd probably take him over Avery.

Waiters .. . sounds like he's a one way player.

Dunno . .. I'd say it'll be an interesting (hopefully) topic to monitor this season.

Do you factor in the apparent FACT that Lance pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and then was NOT satisfied with that, so he apparently slammed her hear against the bottom step for good measure, simply because she would not answer the phone!!!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/17/stephenson_beat_girlfriend_because.php

Smitty77

Not to seem insensitive, but that shouldn't affect his playing ability.

[PickNRoll]

Love Bradley, but Derozan, Dwade, Lance, and Joe Johnson are better.  It really illuminates how weak the position is in the EC.

[Endless Paradise]

Bradley is solid on both ends. If he's the second best 2 guard in the East, it isn't by much .. .and that's even with a big step up.

Stephenson seems like a better overall player, given size, range, ball handling and crazy.

DeRozan is doing well. In prime.

D Wade will be hit or miss. I'd rather have Bradley at this point bc he's on the upswing of his career but D Wade could pull a rabbit out and have a good year.

Beal has a super sweet jumper. Love it. I'd probably take him over Avery.

Waiters .. . sounds like he's a one way player.

Dunno . .. I'd say it'll be an interesting (hopefully) topic to monitor this season.

Do you factor in the apparent FACT that Lance pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and then was NOT satisfied with that, so he apparently slammed her hear against the bottom step for good measure, simply because she would not answer the phone!!!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/17/stephenson_beat_girlfriend_because.php

Smitty77

Not to seem insensitive, but that shouldn't affect his playing ability.

It doesn't.  It's completely independent of his playing ability, which is what's being discussed here.  There is no reason to factor that in since... no one's ranking these guys based on their history of legal troubles.

Edit: unless, of course, that was brought up because of the whole "crazy" being described as a positive trait of his.  Which I don't think is very appropriate since I doubt Fred Roberts was saying, "Plus Lance is so crazy, he's not afraid to take a chance -- like beating his girlfriend!"

[Smitty77]

Bradley is solid on both ends. If he's the second best 2 guard in the East, it isn't by much .. .and that's even with a big step up.

Stephenson seems like a better overall player, given size, range, ball handling and crazy.

DeRozan is doing well. In prime.

D Wade will be hit or miss. I'd rather have Bradley at this point bc he's on the upswing of his career but D Wade could pull a rabbit out and have a good year.

Beal has a super sweet jumper. Love it. I'd probably take him over Avery.

Waiters .. . sounds like he's a one way player.

Dunno . .. I'd say it'll be an interesting (hopefully) topic to monitor this season.

Do you factor in the apparent FACT that Lance pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and then was NOT satisfied with that, so he apparently slammed her hear against the bottom step for good measure, simply because she would not answer the phone!!!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/17/stephenson_beat_girlfriend_because.php

Smitty77

Not to seem insensitive, but that shouldn't affect his playing ability.

It doesn't.  It's completely independent of his playing ability, which is what's being discussed here.  There is no reason to factor that in since... no one's ranking these guys based on their history of legal troubles.

Edit: unless, of course, that was brought up because of the whole "crazy" being described as a positive trait of his.  Which I don't think is very appropriate since I doubt Fred Roberts was saying, "Plus Lance is so crazy, he's not afraid to take a chance -- like beating his girlfriend!"

Well, there DOES seem to be a pattern of crazy some might say!!  He got into a very intense fight with Turner and he had had issues with multiples teammates throughout the year!!!

http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/23/report-lance-stephenson-evan-turner-got-in-fight-night-before-game-1/

"Turner hadn’t been the first Pacer to lose his temper with Stephenson these tumultuous several weeks, and Stephenson’s relentlessly irritable nature suggests Turner won’t be the last. These scrapes aren’t uncommon in the NBA, but this confrontation had been weeks in the making and that reflected in the ferocity of the encounter, sources told Yahoo Sports."

There is CLEARLY a pattern here!!!

Smitty77

[D.o.s.]

According to Mark Titus, Evan Turner is a jerk. Just sayin'.

[Endless Paradise]

Yeah, but that's not speaking to his talent.  The discussion here is centering around on-the-court value.  If you want to dispute that Lance's "crazy" is necessarily good (and is actually a good/bad thing), then at least bring up something like his antics during the playoffs this season and bad decision making during games. 

It just seemed like a bit of a red herring when you brought up the DV incident. "Bradley's inherently a better player than Stephenson because he doesn't beat women."

It's like someone saying, "one of Westbrook's positives is that he's fearless" and then responding to that with "Rondo's inherently a better player than Westbrook because he doesn't wear ridiculous outfits" as a criticism of Westbrook's fearlessness.

[jambr380]

Yeah, but that's not speaking to his talent.  The discussion here is centering around on-the-court value.  If you want to dispute that Lance's "crazy" is necessarily good (and is actually a good/bad thing), then at least bring up something like his antics during the playoffs this season and bad decision making during games. 

It just seemed like a bit of a red herring when you brought up the DV incident. "Bradley's inherently a better player than Stephenson because he doesn't beat women."

It's like someone saying, "one of Westbrook's positives is that he's fearless" and then responding to that with "Rondo's inherently a better player than Westbrook because he doesn't wear ridiculous outfits" as a criticism of Westbrook's fearlessness.

While I obviously agree with the ridiculousness of your Rondo/Westbrook example, legal problems are something to take into consideration when ranking a player - mostly because they can continue to happen and quickly bring down a career. If Stephenson's DV incident had been videotaped, we may be saying good-bye to him as a player in the NBA (see Ray Rice).

I understand this doesn't affect his skills, bit it may also be why he didn't receive a more lucrative contract this off-season.

[Endless Paradise]

Yeah, but on the court - meaning he's actually playing, therefore any theoretical suspension/banning clearly isn't in effect - Stephenson's legal woes aren't really coming into play any more so than they would in a street ball game.

Just saying the discussion is framed upon ranking these guys in terms of skill and value, not as investments or people.  Paul George's whole baby drama/Catfish issue didn't necessarily make him a worse player than, say, Chandler Parsons.  That's off-the-court stuff.

[Vox_Populi]

Yeah, but on the court - meaning he's actually playing, therefore any theoretical suspension/banning clearly isn't in effect - Stephenson's legal woes aren't really coming into play any more so than they would in a street ball game.

Just saying the discussion is framed upon ranking these guys in terms of skill and value, not as investments or people.  Paul George's whole baby drama/Catfish issue didn't necessarily make him a worse player than, say, Chandler Parsons.  That's off-the-court stuff.

I agree. This is the off-the-court stuff that makes Parsons worse than George. 

[CelticBalla32]

Bradley is not the 2nd best SG in the East. Wipe that green dust off of your shades lol

I have Wade, JJ, Beal, Stephenson, Affalo ahead of Bradley for sure. Waiters might be slightly better as well. Sure I'm missing some others.

Your avatar lolololol I love it

[clover]

Yeah, but that's not speaking to his talent.  The discussion here is centering around on-the-court value.  If you want to dispute that Lance's "crazy" is necessarily good (and is actually a good/bad thing), then at least bring up something like his antics during the playoffs this season and bad decision making during games. 

It just seemed like a bit of a red herring when you brought up the DV incident. "Bradley's inherently a better player than Stephenson because he doesn't beat women."

It's like someone saying, "one of Westbrook's positives is that he's fearless" and then responding to that with "Rondo's inherently a better player than Westbrook because he doesn't wear ridiculous outfits" as a criticism of Westbrook's fearlessness.

If KG or Rondo had ever blown in LBJ's ear, this board would have gone crazy with approval.

[clover]

Bradley is solid on both ends. If he's the second best 2 guard in the East, it isn't by much .. .and that's even with a big step up.

Stephenson seems like a better overall player, given size, range, ball handling and crazy.

DeRozan is doing well. In prime.

D Wade will be hit or miss. I'd rather have Bradley at this point bc he's on the upswing of his career but D Wade could pull a rabbit out and have a good year.

Beal has a super sweet jumper. Love it. I'd probably take him over Avery.

Waiters .. . sounds like he's a one way player.

Dunno . .. I'd say it'll be an interesting (hopefully) topic to monitor this season.

Do you factor in the apparent FACT that Lance pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and then was NOT satisfied with that, so he apparently slammed her hear against the bottom step for good measure, simply because she would not answer the phone!!!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/17/stephenson_beat_girlfriend_because.php

Smitty77

Not to seem insensitive, but that shouldn't affect his playing ability.

I'd factor it in and I think Stevens would consider that sort of thing as well. But then again, nobody here would want to factor in Sully forcibly holding his girlfriend down and smashing her phone.

[Rondo9]

Yeah, but that's not speaking to his talent.  The discussion here is centering around on-the-court value.  If you want to dispute that Lance's "crazy" is necessarily good (and is actually a good/bad thing), then at least bring up something like his antics during the playoffs this season and bad decision making during games. 

It just seemed like a bit of a red herring when you brought up the DV incident. "Bradley's inherently a better player than Stephenson because he doesn't beat women."

It's like someone saying, "one of Westbrook's positives is that he's fearless" and then responding to that with "Rondo's inherently a better player than Westbrook because he doesn't wear ridiculous outfits" as a criticism of Westbrook's fearlessness.

If KG or Rondo had ever blown in LBJ's ear, this board would have gone crazy with approval.

People praised Stepheson for blowing in LBJ's ear.

[Rondo9]

Bradley is solid on both ends. If he's the second best 2 guard in the East, it isn't by much .. .and that's even with a big step up.

Stephenson seems like a better overall player, given size, range, ball handling and crazy.

DeRozan is doing well. In prime.

D Wade will be hit or miss. I'd rather have Bradley at this point bc he's on the upswing of his career but D Wade could pull a rabbit out and have a good year.

Beal has a super sweet jumper. Love it. I'd probably take him over Avery.

Waiters .. . sounds like he's a one way player.

Dunno . .. I'd say it'll be an interesting (hopefully) topic to monitor this season.

Do you factor in the apparent FACT that Lance pushed his girlfriend down a flight of stairs and then was NOT satisfied with that, so he apparently slammed her hear against the bottom step for good measure, simply because she would not answer the phone!!!

http://gothamist.com/2010/08/17/stephenson_beat_girlfriend_because.php

Smitty77

Not to seem insensitive, but that shouldn't affect his playing ability.

I'd factor it in and I think Stevens would consider that sort of thing as well. But then again, nobody here would want to factor in Sully forcibly holding his girlfriend down and smashing her phone.

There are ton of people who factor in Sullinger's domestic violence issue.

[D.o.s.]

Not in regards to how he plays.