Avery Bradley Gives Optimistic Update on His Status for This Season

Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley is feeling quite positive about his health this season after suffering through injuries the past couple of years.

“I’m feeling extremely great right now, I’m healthy, I’m in shape,” Bradley said. “And my role, I would expect it to be similar to my role … I would say is similar to my second year in Boston, being a guy that’s out there to compete on the defensive end, make open shots and play off our key players. That’s making cuts or just finding other ways to get guys open by my cutting ability.”

According to an earlier report, Bradley has lost 40 pounds, which is a significant amount of weight for the 6-foot-2 guard. If his short stint with the Memphis Grizzlies last season is any indication, we could be looking at a revitalized player on this Lakers squad.

Bradley played only 14 games for the Grizzlies last season, but he showed that he was still capable of playing at a high level. He averaged 16.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 38.4 percent from behind the 3-point line.

Bradley’s 3-point shooting is going to be of the utmost importance to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He will get plenty of open looks at the basket while playing with these superstars. It’s up to him to knock them down and give his teammates the space they need to operate both in the paint and from the perimeter.

If he’s truly 100 percent healthy, then Bradley will likely be a key player for the Lakers, who are aiming for the championship next year.