The Indiana Pacers exercised Tony Bradley's team option in the offseason to bring him back and have him be a part of their center-by-committee in an effort to replace Myles Turner. Nearly two months into the season, Bradley is now just a depth piece and is not likely to be a rotation player for the Pacers again.
Bradley was always looked at as the third or fourth-best center on Indiana's roster, depending on how you had him stacked up against James Wiseman. But his role has become even smaller than many expected.
The Florida native averaged 5.6 points and 3.4 rebounds in 14.6 minutes in his first 14 games of the season, which included three starts. Since then, he has averaged 3.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in 6.6 minutes across eight games. Additionally, he was a DNP for four games and was the only Pacer not to play during the team's loss to the Washington Wizards on Sunday.
At this point, it is safe to assume that, barring an injury or a trade, Bradley is not going to see much playing time in Indiana moving forward.
Why the Pacers cut Tony Bradley's minutes
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There is one obvious reason Indiana reduced Bradley's role: he isn't good enough.
The 27-year-old is solid. He can rebound and score efficiently in the paint. Additionally, he is a solid rim protector and plays with energy. However, he has limited upside and is very replaceable.
Bradley offers virtually no offensive value outside of the paint, particularly because he doesn't have a jumpshot. Beyond that, he is not quick enough to play in Indiana's system, and he can be too aggressive defensively, which can often lead to unnecessary fouls.
It's also not just the fact that Bradley can't really hang in the Pacers' system. He is also the third-best center on the roster, and it's not even close. Any team that has three centers rarely utilizes the third one, and that seems to be the case here.
Jay Huff has [been coming into his own](https://8points9seconds.com/pacers-quietly-vindicated-bold-jay-huff-decision), averaging 11.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3.6 blocks while shooting 50% from the field and 39.1% from deep in his eight games since moving into the starting lineup.
As for Isaiah Jackson, [he lost his starting job](https://8points9seconds.com/isaiah-jackson-long-term-role-pacers), but he still looks like a solid asset in Indiana. He still plays with a lot of energy and uses his athleticism to his advantage. In Sunday's loss to the Wizards, Jackson recorded a 12-point, 11-rebound double-double off the bench. And given that he is just 23 years old, he still has a lot of potential and upside.
It remains to be seen what exactly is next in store for Bradley in Indiana, but as it stands, it seems like he has already reached his peak with the team. Bradley is a solid big man who may be able to provide value elsewhere, but for now, it's looking like he is not going to be a long-term contributor for the Pacers.