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Report: Lakers Guard Avery Bradley Has Been ‘Distant’ Since Opting Out of NBA Restart

Published by

Robert Marvi

July 30, 2020 1:43 am

Since deciding to opt out of participating in the restart of the 2019-20 NBA season, Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley has been “distant” according to teammate Danny Green.

However, the impact that Bradley has made on the team is still there.

Bradley was signed by the Purple and Gold last July in order to beef up what looked at the time to be an anemic backcourt. He had proven to be the squad’s best perimeter defender.

After struggling with his shooting early, Bradley picked it up in that department, hitting 41.8 percent of his 3-pointers after the new year.

It may be relatively easy for the Lakers to replace his offense, but his ability to harass opposing guards defensively will be tougher to replace.

Still, there is plenty of hope for the team. When Bradley missed 13 games early in the season with a leg injury, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope filled in nicely and the Lakers won 12 of those games.

All told, L.A. is third in the NBA in defensive rating on the season, and it still possesses three great rim protectors in Anthony Davis, Javale McGee and Dwight Howard.

Robert Marvi

Robert is a native of Santa Monica, Calif., and a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He has been an avid NBA fan since he was a little kid in the mid '90s and fell in love with the Nick Van Exel-led Lakers teams. He truly cherishes the Kobe Bryant-era of Lakers basketball and the five world championships that came with it, and is looking forward to the team's next NBA title.