Although the New York Knicks seemed fond of the veteran center Tony Bradley, they ultimately chose James Wiseman over him.
The Knicks waived Bradley earlier this week. He won’t clear through. Instead, Bradley ends up in a familiar spot, joining the Utah Jazz.
“The Utah Jazz have claimed center Tony Bradley off free agency waivers, sources tell ESPN,” ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Saturday. “Bradley was the Jazz’s No. 28 pick in 2017 and now returns where he spent his first 3 NBA seasons.”
Tony Bradley’s Short Knicks Run
The Knicks rolled out Tony Bradley in three games. He appeared in six minutes during the opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
After that, he collected seven minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves, before a nine-minute shift against the Toronto Raptors.
By the end of the preseason, Bradley finished with averages of 5.3 points and 1.7 rebounds per game. Considering the Knicks already have Karl-Anthony Towns and Andre Drummond, they were expected to keep just one more center.
James Wiseman has been viewed as the clear favorite. Considering his familiarity with New York’s head coach Mike Brown, Wiseman had a good shot at winning the spot. Indeed, he did.
Tony Bradley’s NBA Career
The 28-year-old center entered the NBA in 2017. He was a first-round pick (No. 28) for the Los Angeles Lakers (traded to the Utah Jazz).
Bradley spent three seasons playing for the Jazz. In 2019-2020, Bradley appeared in 58 games. He showed promise with averages of 4.9 points and 4.6 rebounds off the bench.
After getting traded twice during the 2020 offseason, Bradley ended up on the Philadelphia 76ers. He played in 20 games for the team before getting traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for a 22-game run.
In 2021, Bradley joined the Chicago Bulls for a two-season run. After that stint, he played two seasons with the Indiana Pacers. Last season, Bradley played in 38 games with the Pacers and appeared in three games for the Atlanta Hawks.