Pacers’ Rationale Behind Key Signing Explained
The Indiana Pacers face a significant decision as training camp approaches, with four centers currently on their roster. The team is looking to refine its rotation at the position, which will likely result in the release of one or two players. The biggest shake-up came when Myles Turner, the team’s longest-tenured player and a key 3-and-D center, left for a four-year, $108.9 million deal with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Last season, team president Kevin Pritchard was forced to adapt quickly after both reserve centers, James Wiseman and Isaiah Jackson, suffered Achilles injuries by the sixth game of the regular season. Despite the injuries, Pritchard re-signed both players this summer.
To shore up the center position, the Pacers brought in Thomas Bryant, Moses Brown, Jahlil Okafor, and eventually Tony Bradley, all of whom were considered as potential backups for Turner during the playoffs.
Bradley stood out enough during his first 10-day contract to earn a second, eventually securing a spot on the roster for the remainder of the season.
According to Wheat Hotchkiss of Pacers.com, Bradley’s strong rim protection and solid rebounding, even in limited minutes, could give him a notable advantage moving forward.
Why Bradley?
The Pacers’ decision to retain Bradley is based on several factors, including his extensive NBA experience, his team-first mentality, and, importantly, his ability to address a key area of need: rebounding.
Bradley, 27, is on a partially guaranteed one-year, $2.9 million contract, with Indiana having until January 10 to fully guarantee the deal. Wiseman is also on a non-guaranteed contract, and the Pacers have shown confidence in recently re-signed Jackson and newly acquired stretch big Jay Huff.
Bradley’s Rebounding Strengths
Bradley has consistently been a strong rebounder throughout his career, pulling down at least 12 rebounds per 36 minutes in all seven of his NBA seasons. During his 14 regular-season games with the Pacers, he averaged 13.4 rebounds per 36 minutes. In more practical terms, Bradley contributed 4.4 points on 64% shooting from the field, 33.3% from the free-throw line, and 3.3 rebounds per game.
While the Pacers are still assessing their center depth, Bradley’s rebounding ability and experience could make him a valuable asset in their rotation.
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