Unlike his former teammate Isaiah Thomas, Detroit Pistons shooting guard Avery Bradley isn't resenting Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge for making deals in the offseason.
Bradley was part of a swap for Marcus Morris, given the team's improbability to sign him to a long-term contract after giving Gordon Hayward a whopping four-year, $128 million contract shortly into the free agent madness.
“I think (Thomas) understands it’s a business as well, but we’re two different people. All I can do is respect the way that he feels and I think he will do the same for me,” Bradley said, according to Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. “I understand what they did. I have no hard feelings at all. I ended up with a great situation and a great organization so I’m happy and they’re playing well.”
Thomas felt “blindsided” after Ainge pulled the trigger on a trade for Kyrie Irving, trading him to their Eastern Conference rival Cleveland Cavaliers after giving the Celtics a career-best season and plowing through the death of his sister to suit up for the team during the playoffs.
“I might not ever talk to Danny again,” Thomas told Sports Illustrated earlier in the season. “That might not happen. I’ll talk to everybody else. But what he did, knowing everything I went through, you don’t do that, bro. That’s not right. I’m not saying (blank) you. But every team in this situation comes out a year or two later and says, ‘We made a mistake.’ That’s what they’ll say, too.”
While Bradley was understanding of his former teammate's feelings, he could see his exit from Boston start to piece itself together.
“I kind of knew it could happen,” Bradley said of the trade. “There were (conversations) that me and Danny Ainge had, but when it does happen, it still catches you off guard a little bit destination-wise, where you end up.”
“I know it’s part of the business so I respect their decision and I know that Danny is going to make the best decision for the Boston Celtics.”
Follow Us
Subscribe