On Tuesday, Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley notified the NBA that he will sit out the resumption of the 2019-20 season.
Lakers legend and former executive Magic Johnson gave his thoughts on social media about Bradley opting out.
The @Lakers losing Avery Bradley is a tough loss and will make it more difficult for them to win the NBA championship.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 24, 2020
Although Bradley has had an injury-riddled campaign, he’s been an important contributor when healthy. He’s been in the starting lineup for 44 of the 49 games he’s played in and has averaged 8.6 points a game this season.
His greatest value to the Lakers has been his defense, especially his ability to pressure opposing ball-handlers.
Although his outside shooting was an issue early in the season, Bradley picked it up after the start of the new year. He shot 35.2 percent from 3-point range in January and upped his accuracy to a blistering 48.2 percent in February.
Bradley reportedly decided to not play because of concerns about his six-year-old son Liam, who has had issues with respiratory illnesses. The younger Bradley would’ve likely had trouble getting medically cleared to join his father in the bubble environment in Orlando, Fla.
J.R. Smith, who played with LeBron James on the Cleveland Cavaliers, is the leading candidate to replace the elder Bradley on the Lakers.
