Nothing is official yet, but as it stands, it is fair to assume that the Indiana Pacers will move on from Tony Bradley before the start of next season.
The Pacers exercised Bradley's team option, and rightfully so. Though he joined the team later in the season, he still made a small impact and stepped up many times, particularly in the playoffs. He proved to be a solid big man for Indiana, and he deserves an opportunity to showcase what he can do with the team for a full season. However, even so, he has a lot going against him, and it is fair to think that his days in Indiana are coming to an end.
Tony Bradley is the odd man out for the Pacers
Bradley proved to be a capable backup for the Pacers, and that can't go unnoticed. However, he is a backup and was previously out of the league for two years for a reason: his upside is incredibly limited.
The 27-year-old does not have much potential, and at this point, he is what he is in the NBA. He is a big-bodied center who provides a lot of value on the boards and is a decent defender, but that's about it. Bradley is a very replaceable big man, and the Pacers already have three center options better than him. Additionally, he is on a non-guaranteed contract, which gives the team more motivation to waive him and save money.
Indiana is planning on running a center-by-committee next season. Even with this strategy, there is not a lot going Bradley's way, especially considering that it is extremely unlikely the Pacers will carry four centers into the regular season.
In addition to the Florida native, the Pacers also have Jay Huff, Isaiah Jackson, and James Wiseman looking to help replace Myles Turner, who joined the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the offseason. For one reason or another, all three of these big men provide more value and intrigue than Bradley does, and as it stands, it seems unlikely he will beat any of them out for a roster spot.
The Pacers are going to look very different next year. In addition to Turner's departure, the team also has to deal with Tyrese Haliburton's absence as he is set to miss the entirety of next season. Because of this, the team is going to experiment a bit with their roster to see what works and what doesn't as they look to remain competitive.
Unfortunately for Bradley, barring any big changes, it is safe to assume he will not be a part of this experiment in Indiana.