Miami Heat Coach Makes Strong Statement About Ex-Lakers PG Avery Bradley

Getty Avery Bradley #11 of the Miami Heat directs the offense against the Milwaukee Bucks during the second quarter on December 29, 2020.

Avery Bradley is putting up solid numbers in his first season as a member of the Miami Heat.

An NBA Champion as a member of last year’s LeBron James and Anthony Davis-led Los Angeles Lakers, Bradley is averaging 14.2 points, while shooting 47.6% from downtown.

On Friday, Bradley scored 15 points on 5/8 shooting, while going 2/4 from downtown in the Heat’s 93-83 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Bradley was second in scoring in the Heat’s loss behind big man Bam Adebayo who posted a 19 point, 11 rebound outing in 36 minutes of action.

Precious Achiuwa chipped in with 10 points and six rebounds,  Goran Dragic had 10 points, seven assists and five rebounds and Tyler Herro had 11 points.

Jimmy Butler returned to action after on Friday after missing the previous two games because of a sprained right ankle, sitting out the Heat’s back-to-back home set against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Butler scored two points, hauled in three rebounds and dished out three assists in the Heat loss. The Heat are off today and will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder at home.

Chemistry and continuity are buzz words for a Heat team who are the reigning NBA Eastern Conference Champions.

Currently sitting at 2-3 and in tenth place in the NBA’s Eastern Conference standings, the Heat have a potent roster with Butler, Adebayo, Herro, Dragic, Duncan Robinson, Meyers Leonard, Andre Iguodala, Kenrick Nunn, Kelly Olynyk, Udonis Haslem and other key cogs.

A fifth seed in the NBA’s Eastern Conference last season, the Heat finished with a 44-29 record. The Avery Bradley addition was a good pickup.

Bradley signed a 1 year / $5,635,000 contract with the Miami Heat, including $5,635,000 guaranteed.

Per Spotrac: The deal has an annual average salary of $5,635,000. In 2020-1, Bradley will earn a base salary of $5,635,000, while carrying a cap hit of $5,635,000 and a dead cap value of $5,635,000. Contract Notes: 2021 Club Option.

Following Friday’s game, I asked Miami Heat head coach, Erik Spoelstra about Bradley’s contribution to the Heat:

GettyHead coach Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat reacts against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second quarter at American Airlines Arena on December 25, 2020.

Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson: When I look at the scoring sheet, one thing that stands out to me — okay, I see Jimmy Butler; I see Andre Iguodala and then I see Avery Bradley from the Los Angeles system, now with you guys. When you look at the system and you see that Jimmy is back now, how do you think you’ll look back at the tape and implement Avery more within the offense with Jimmy playing with the other characters that are in there?

Erik Spoeldtra: Yeah, that’ll be pretty seamless. It already has been. Avery is a guy that can play in ANY system. As long as it’s a contending team, he fits. He’s a really good basketball player, he’s a winner and a two-way player. A LEGIT two-way player.

He’s a bright spot on that Heat team. In addition to his 14.3 points per game, Bradley is also averaging 1.8 rebounds per game, 1.5 assists per game and 1.0 steals per game.

News from Miami today indicated that Bradley missed a team practice with the Heat due to the league’s COVID-19 health and safety protocols, which means that it appears probable that Bradley had a positive or inconclusive COVID-19 test result, as opposed to being put in the league’s seven-day contact tracing quarantine.