Can Avery Bradley Be Trsded Again

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Due west VANCOUVER, British Columbia — It's like shooting fish in a barrel to see how Avery Bradley can fly under the radar.

Dressed in a bones black cap and polo shirt with clean, white Yeezy Boosts on his anxiety, the biggest casualty of the Gordon Hayward summer sweepstakes stood intently on the sidelines as his immature campers powered through a series of defensive drills.

"This is Avery Bradley'due south camp...we play defense hither!" shouted i of the coaches at theAvery Bradley Skills University presented past G2 Athletics, a Vancouver-based training academy "designed to observe the potential in all basketball players," according to its website.

"Don't allow your feet touch; that's how you cease up on Shaqtin' a Fool!"

Defense, difficult work and a low-key nature accept pretty much defined Bradley's seven-year pro career. Last season, the Tacoma, Washington, native posted his best season, setting career highs in points (sixteen.iii), rebounds (6.1) and assists (2.2) per game for the Eastern Conference top-seeded Boston Celtics.

However, despite reaching the conference finals, the Celtics pulled off one of the biggest offseason moves, signing an All-Star in Hayward abroad from the Utah Jazz. Equally a result, Bradley, 26, was traded to the Pistons, who are coming off a 37-45 record, missing the playoffs.

How did Bradley learn of his fate? An sick-timed flight and a flurry of text messages."I only read one text similar 'Are you happy?' or something like that, and I can't remember who it was from," he recalls.

"So, I instantly Googled my name and information technology said Detroit."

Near the cease of the 2d mean solar day of his camp at Collingwood School in Westward Vancouver, Bradley (who becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2018) spoke to Bleacher Report nearly his summer, his love for coaching today'south youth and his move from Beantown to the Motor City.

Bleacher Report: Basketball and trades aside, tell me nigh your summertime. Any vacations?

Avery Bradley: I oasis't actually gotten a chance to take a holiday this summer. I'm going to take my first one toward the terminate of this month. But I love to fish—that'due south a hobby of mine. I fish in the Caribbean; I usually fish in Grenada every single summertime, so this is the first summer I haven't and probably won't get a chance to, either. I'll just relax when I go out of the country. Merely that's information technology; I'yard just a homebody. I work out, come home. That's it (laughs).

B/R: Watching the military camp, I'm noticing a lot of defensive drills, which isn't surprising coming from you lot.

AB: I have it set up up like that considering I experience like virtually kids just desire to shoot the step-back threes. They want to play like [Stephen] Back-scratch and all those guys, and there's nil wrong with that. I think information technology starts at the defensive end. Defence force non merely wins games; it's what gets you on the floor at every level you play at. One time you lot go to loftier school and become to college, if yous don't play defense, you lot won't play. And I but want to put an emphasis on that.

B/R: What is the most of import lesson you desire to give these kids today?

AB: The well-nigh important thing with me is consistency. Making sure they can do these drills and really apply it to their everyday basketball game workouts. Over three days, you can't change how a child plays. Information technology'due south going to take them—for us to requite them all the drills and tools—and for them to actually go outside of this campsite and piece of work on those drills to improve on their shots, ameliorate on their certain techniques that they use.

When I was a high school player, I wasn't ranked high. I would come into the gym and I would do my course shooting—which I taught those guys—and I would make 100 jumpers. I wasn't a good shooter, merely I perfected my shot, and I ended up getting the No. ane player in the nation coming out of Tacoma, Wash. I never idea that could happen, but that was a blessing, and information technology all started hither with all these drills I am showing these kids.

B/R: Why come upwardly to Vancouver? Was information technology because of partnering with G2 Athletics, or because this was an extension of the Northwest?

AB: Aye, information technology's an extension to the Northwest, and we wanted to collaborate with Gabe [Gibbs, camp co-organizer and founder of G2 Athletics]. It'southward e'er been a dream of mine. I ever come up here. And I was like, 'Basketball is big in Vancouver; human being, people love basketball.' And I told myself that I wanted to do a camp up here one day. Originally it started where I wanted to do camps everywhere I had stops at Washington, Nevada, Texas and Boston. And nosotros did that; we knocked all those places off. Then we started expanding. We did Grenada, Trinidad; we wanted to practice hither.

I'm here all twenty-four hour period, man. This is what I do because information technology's a passion of mine. I desire to help kids and I've been blest with this talent from God, and I feel like I'thousand supposed to be giving back helping kids, teaching them everything I know.

B/R: Last year, the Celtics took a big footstep forward making the ECF. Draw how close the team bond was this terminal flavor.

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AB: The bond of the team was pretty close. We didn't add a lot of additions to the team last year. Nosotros kind of had the same team nosotros had the twelvemonth earlier, so we were close. We knew each other'south games, which I recall is important. It is important at every level, but specially in the NBA.

When yous are able to perfect your systems, I feel like that's why Physician Rivers was able to be and then successful because our preparation camp was just going through plays. The team was already ready, we had our core group of guys and we only needed to go into shape—that was the biggest affair for our training camp. I think information technology started to become like that by Brad's [Stevens] third or 2d year. First year was kind of tough, because we had new guys coming in and out all of the time. In one case you lot are able to become a set roster, it really helps a lot.

B/R: The injury to Isaiah Thomas in the ECF was obviously a big accident. Do you think at full strength you guys could have stolen that series?

AB: I tin say I wish we had a improve opportunity. Just you know, the Cavs are a good squad. I don't want to take anything away from them. ... Playing the manner nosotros know we could have played, I felt similar we started to get to fifty-fifty when Isaiah went downwardly—I still experience similar nosotros had a chance. Even Game 4 we had a chance to win. I think we were up past 20. So, we had opportunities; they're simply a good team. So, I hope with Detroit now, nosotros have a chance to do the same affair.

B/R: With the Celtics' flexibility, there were rumors going into the typhoon and free agency involving large names to Boston. Did you call back it was a possibility they might motility you?

AB: Yes, I knew information technology would be a hard decision. I was open to it, though. I knew if I didn't sign this summer that it was going to exist a possibility that I could be moved because it's benign for both parties, you know, for Avery Bradley and the Celtics.

At the stop of the day, I want to do what's all-time for me, and they take to practice what'southward best for them. They felt like it would be a amend opportunity for me somewhere else to give me a chance to not but continue to grow my game but for me to take an opportunity to have care of my family.

B/R: How did you detect out?

AB: (Pause) I actually recall it was a text from my married woman. I was actually on the plane going to my friend's wedding. I had like an hour left in my flight and I'one thousand like, 'Let me check my phone and brand certain my wife and family unit are OK.' Because I had an early flight, I left at similar 5 a.g. from Austin[, Texas], and I turned it on and my phone went crazy. So, I'thousand like, 'Ah human.' I knew exactly what was going on.

B/R: So, did y'all have whatsoever idea where?

AB: I just read ane text like 'Are yous happy?' or something like that, and I can't think who information technology was from. And so, I instantly Googled my name and information technology said Detroit. So, by the time I landed, I called Stan [Van Gundy, Pistons caput charabanc], and y'all still feel nervous a piffling scrap. Just instantly I nevertheless, information technology was nigh like, I was happy. I felt like I was getting more of an opportunity instantly. I was like 'I'1000 going to a new situation' that I felt was going to exist great for me and give me a risk to bear witness other parts of my game.

B/R: So, it didn't hurt a piddling bit? Information technology didn't change your perception of loyalty in the NBA?

AB: Not from me because you know, I'm eight years in the NBA and information technology's the business, man. Anything is possible, anything can happen at whatever fourth dimension. ... I wasn't shocked that information technology happened, you know what I mean? I knew it was a possibility; it was something that we spoke about. Obviously, you tin't read the time to come and know what team, but I knew I was going somewhere.

B/R: A lot of people think that it was a lot to requite up yous and Kelly Olynyk even though Gordon Hayward is a great histrion. How did your teammates react?

AB: I think they were a little disappointed, but they also know it's a business concern too. You simply have to motility on, wish the best for your teammate and move on. Information technology was really difficult for me when the Big Three [Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen] left. And so [Rajon] Rondo left, and and then I'm like 'What?' And then Jeff Green left. I'thousand like, 'Human, this is it.' But you know, I just wanted the best for them, and I was like, 'Man, this is what happens...now I just accept to take full advantage of this opportunity.'

B/R: And then, fresh start in Detroit. New arena and new teammates with a lot of young talent. What are your feelings for this upcoming yr?

AB: I experience like anything is possible. Where we're able to purchase into what Stan is trying to do, nosotros have a lot of talent. If we're able to put that all together and everybody buys in, we can have a special year. Especially with a passenger vehicle similar Stan Van Gundy; he's special and he really knows his stuff.

I want to assistance bring more leadership to help this team and just bring that hard-working mentality to the squad, and I feel like if I'm able to achieve that, I feel similar anything is possible for our squad this year.

B/R: Everybody knows most your defense , simply you also showed a lot of offensive skills last year especially when Isaiah went out. Practise you retrieve this is your coming-out year, perhaps even a potential All-Star twelvemonth?

AB: Nosotros'll see, man. I mean for me, I do. I will call myself—my friends don't like it...a lot of people shut to me don't like information technology—simply I don't like to say stuff like that. Only honestly, I'thousand confident in myself. I mean, I basically averaged xviii points this year and I needed to be actually efficient while doing that on a title-caliber team—a team that fabricated it to the Eastern Conference Finals. I feel, it tin can be possible for me this yr and I worked on my game, and then I volition be prepared for that opportunity. You'll encounter this year, man!

B/R: The East seems wide-open up now. Are y'all going into next flavour with playoff aspirations?

AB: Of course! That should be every squad's goal is the playoffs. And later playoffs, y'all desire to get to the Eastern Conference Finals, and afterwards that yous desire to become to the championship, so nosotros're looking to making the playoffs and making it equally far equally nosotros tin later that.

B/R: Walking into the TD Garden next year [Nov. 27], what is that feeling going to be like since that is the only NBA habitation you have had?

AB: This is what I do, man. This is my job. I'one thousand prepared, I'k a professional, and I'm just going to get out there and play my game and do what I do. It's going to be nice to exist dorsum. I know that it'due south hard for a lot of the fans to encounter me dorsum in a dissimilar uniform—with a different number also. Merely I'one thousand excited. I'm fix for it.

B/R: And why the number 22?

AB: I can't tell anybody. Information technology was just something that was special to me and aligned with a lot of things that are going on in my life right now. And I just felt like it was a perfect number for me and fit me perfect at the time that I picked it.

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Source: https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2727874-avery-bradley-on-pistons-trade-i-knew-i-was-going-somewhere

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