Marcus vs Avery

[BoulderMike]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

[Monkhouse]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

[footey]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

What will Avery reasonable get this season?

[JBcat]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

What will Avery reasonable get this season?

Only 5 or 6 teams have cap space this summer, and most of them are bad teams.  He may get either a mid level contract or a jumbo sized 1 year contract like Caldwell Pope or JJ Reddick got.  I’m not sure he’ll get anything else.

[jambr380]

I think even at the same money, there are a number of teams who would choose AB over Smart...maybe even us. AB is one of the best on-ball defenders of this generation and is a knock-down 3-pt shooter. For a team with enough playmakers looking for a premier role player to compete for a championship, AB makes a ton of sense.

[mqtcelticsfan]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

If all of those things were true, I’d probably go with Bradley. I doubt it’d work out that way, though.

[Monkhouse]

Marcus is our heart and soul of the team. You cant easily replace him. Bradley's defense has always been overrated and playing lockdown defense from full court press has eventually worn on him. Smart is a solid piece despite his offensive warts and all.

[BitterJim]

If Bradley was only $5 million per year, I'd sign him with the tax payer's MLE, re-sign Smart and Baynes, and then think about trading Morris/Rozier/Yabu to get under the tax line.

If Bradley would sign for less than the tax payer's MLE, there's no reason to pick just one of them

[green_bballers13]

I think even at the same money, there are a number of teams who would choose AB over Smart...maybe even us. AB is one of the best on-ball defenders of this generation and is a knock-down 3-pt shooter. For a team with enough playmakers looking for a premier role player to compete for a championship, AB makes a ton of sense.

Eh, I'm not sure he's a knockdown 3 pt shooter. He hit 36.9% of his 3's last year and 36.6% over his career.

I like Avery and I agree, he's a very good defender. I'd love to see him back.

[Big333223]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

Where is this $5 mil number coming from?

[Atzar]

I wouldn't overpay for Smart, but I don't think Bradley is a good substitute.

I don't think the reason is as hard to quantify as the "soul of the team" idea, either.  I simply think Smart is the far better defender in a defensive scheme that switches almost every pick.  Smart is built like a tank and can guard many forwards and even a few bigs.  Bradley is a terrific defender against small guards, but is much less useful when switched onto any other position.

Versatility means everything on the defensive side of the ball nowadays.  Single position shutdown defenders just don't have as much value anymore.  It's too easy to switch them into unfavorable matchups or just avoid them entirely. 

[mmmmm]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

Odd fact:   Over the last 4 seasons, the number of regular season games each has played is very close.

Avery:  254
Marcus:  261

Not a huge difference.  All of it was from this last season, when Marcus played 54 games while Avery played only 46.   

Ironically, at one point, mid season they were almost tied.  Marcus got sidelined after playing 46 games as of schedule game 48.   Avery got shut down after his 46th game as of schedule game 55 (not long after he was traded to LAC).   At that point, Avery had played 1 more game over the prior 3 1/2 seasons than Marcus.   

Then, Marcus came back and played 8 games at the end of Feb/start of Mar before shutting down for the rest of he way.   That put him up by 7 over Avery for the 4 season period.

I guess my point would be that it's hard to say Marcus is all that much less "injury prone" than Avery.  If one is injury prone, then so is the other.

[The Oracle]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

Odd fact:   Over the last 4 seasons, the number of regular season games each has played is very close.

Avery:  254
Marcus:  261

Not a huge difference.  All of it was from this last season, when Marcus played 54 games while Avery played only 46.   

Ironically, at one point, mid season they were almost tied.  Marcus got sidelined after playing 46 games as of schedule game 48.   Avery got shut down after his 46th game as of schedule game 55 (not long after he was traded to LAC).   At that point, Avery had played 1 more game over the prior 3 1/2 seasons than Marcus.   

Then, Marcus came back and played 8 games at the end of Feb/start of Mar before shutting down for the rest of he way.   That put him up by 7 over Avery for the 4 season period.

I guess my point would be that it's hard to say Marcus is all that much less "injury prone" than Avery.  If one is injury prone, then so is the other.

Avery avoids contact like the plague, stays out of the fray as much as possible, is a near worthless help defender, can't switch onto bigger players effectively, doesn't dive on the floor and plays like self preservation is his main goal and still gets hurt.  Marcus plays without regard for his own safety, lays his body on the line at all times, raises the level of everyone around him and is extremely effective.  There is no comparison as to their injury proneness nor their on court impact.

[Monkhouse]

Clearly, we value Marcus Smart more than we would value Avery Bradley. 

However, if we could sign Avery at $5 million a year or less ... and Marcus Smart would cost $15 million per year, would Avery be the better bet this summer?

I don't think anyone is giving Smart over $14, and I don't think we can sign Avery for $5 million or less, so I feel like you're speaking in severe hypotheticals. But sure, for the price I'll take Avery back, but I still take a reasonably priced Smart over Bradley. AB is too injury prone to rely on him consistently anymore.

Odd fact:   Over the last 4 seasons, the number of regular season games each has played is very close.

Avery:  254
Marcus:  261

Not a huge difference.  All of it was from this last season, when Marcus played 54 games while Avery played only 46.   

Ironically, at one point, mid season they were almost tied.  Marcus got sidelined after playing 46 games as of schedule game 48.   Avery got shut down after his 46th game as of schedule game 55 (not long after he was traded to LAC).   At that point, Avery had played 1 more game over the prior 3 1/2 seasons than Marcus.   

Then, Marcus came back and played 8 games at the end of Feb/start of Mar before shutting down for the rest of he way.   That put him up by 7 over Avery for the 4 season period.

I guess my point would be that it's hard to say Marcus is all that much less "injury prone" than Avery.  If one is injury prone, then so is the other.

All valid points, but Smart plays a more physical game, I don't think Bradley plays the same way he used to. He can't switch, undersized, his lateral quickness isn't the same, and he plays too 'afraid.' No longer the hound dog perimeter defender that used to strike fear into the Jameer Nelson's of the world. And like I said, his defense has been extremely overrated by this board. You can't play defense like he does against taller defenders without potentiality of injuries.

Also his shoulder injuries have probably effected his shooting. Smart fits our defense better, and I think he's always been a better defender. Regardless, I doubt anyone is going to pay $15 million for Smart. That is a clear overpay for a role player. But hey, ET got an average salary of $17 million.

[celticinorlando]

Marcus

Bradley is made of glass.