Following the trade that sent Marcus Morris to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Avery Bradley was the end of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's tenure with the Detroit Pistons. While the team saved around $90 million in free agency, Detroit is rolling the dice on the 26-year-old Texas product who can very well opt to leave the team via unrestricted free agency next summer.

However, it has been reported by Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that the Pistons are willing to commit to Avery Bradley on a long-term deal a year from now, should the team live up to expectations and make it to the playoffs. They will be using the upcoming season as a proving ground for him to earn his next lucrative contract.

“The thought process from the Pistons side was if they were going to shell out $90 plus million dollars, it needed to be a better fitting two-way player. The Pistons will get a full season to see if Bradley is the player they believe him to be, but there is a risk for the Pistons, too. Bradley will be an unrestricted free agent and can choose his next team on his own and could leave the Pistons with nothing to show for the trade.”

“Sources close to the process believe that Detroit traded for Bradley knowing full well it would be very expensive to retain him beyond this season, however, if he is everything they hope he’ll be, they have no issues paying him.”

Bradley is fresh off his best season in the NBA with career-high averages of 16.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists, to along with 1.2 steals in 33.4 minutes per game. He has made a name for himself as one of the best on-ball stoppers in the league today, and also showed a lot of improvement in his offensive game last year.

Starting in October, Avery Bradley is expected to play the similar role he had with the C's and receive a lot of minutes in The Motor City. If he plays solid basketball once again next season for his new team, it will be a huge boost to their cause, as they try to make it to the postseason, and it could give him the opportunity to be offered a hefty paycheck next summer from the Pistons.