WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The Detroit Pistons acquired guard Avery Bradley from the Boston Celtics in exchange for forward Marcus Morris, the Pistons said on Friday.
The deal brings one of the best two-way players in the NBA to Detroit, who also receive a 2019 second-round draft pick in the deal.
With Bradley on his way to Detroit, the Pistons withdrew their $5.5 million qualifying offer and renounced their rights to restricted free-agent guard Kentavius Caldwell-Pope.
That makes Caldwell-Pope, who was reportedly seeking some $25 million, an unrestricted free agent, with the Brooklyn Nets reportedly interested in acquiring him.
Bradley, 26, averaged 16.2 points per game and shot 39 percent from three-point range for the Celtics last season, when Boston reached the Eastern Conference finals.
But dealing him gives Boston room under the salary cap to sign All-Star free agent forward Gordon Hayward to a four-year, $128 million maximum contract.
Hayward, 27, chose the Celtics earlier this week over the Miami Heat and Utah Jazz, the team with which he played his first seven seasons since he was drafted ninth overall in 2010.
Morris, 27, played six NBA seasons with the Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and Pistons. He averaged 14.0 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 79 games with the Pistons last season.
© Agence France-Presse
