Getty Avery Bradley defending Lou Williams.
It’s been a tough road for Avery Bradley over the last couple of years. He was a starter on the Los Angeles Lakers team that won a championship for the 2019-2020 season but wasn’t with the team for the NBA Finals due to his decision to sit out of the NBA bubble. He didn’t get re-signed by the team and bounced around from the Miami Heat to the Houston Rockets last season.
Despite being one of the NBA’s best wing defenders, he’s had trouble landing on a team this offseason. That was until now. According to Shams Charania, Bradley is signing a deal with the Golden State Warriors.
Free agent Avery Bradley has agreed to a deal with the Golden State Warriors, sources tell me and @anthonyVslater.
Bradley worked out for the team recently as they appeared to be in the market for a guard. This signing makes a lot of sense as he should be a perfect guard to serve as a backup to Klay Thompson, who is coming off an injury. Bradley won’t need to provide much offense but will be valuable if he can continue to be an elite defender.
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Are Warriors a Threat to the Lakers?
Getty ImagesDraymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers argue with a referee.
It wasn’t all that long ago that the Warriors were the premier team in the NBA. They won three of four championships from 2015 to 2018. Unfortunately, injuries have derailed one of the most exciting teams in league history. Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson kept them from winning again in 2019 and they’ve missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons due to injuries to Thompson and Steph Curry.
Heading into this upcoming season, the Warriors finally look healthy. Curry played at an MVP level last season and Thompson is itching to get back. However, it still feels like they’re a piece away from really competing with the Lakers. Perhaps a trade for Ben Simmons or Bradley Beal would put them over the top but it remains to be seen if either of those deals will happen. Unless they make a big move, Los Angeles has to be the clear favorites in the Western Conference.
Frank Vogel Not Worried About Lakers’ Age
A major talking point surrounding the Lakers this year has been their age. The team is old and will likely be the oldest team in the NBA on opening night. While many use that as a way to criticize the Lakers, the team doesn’t appear too worried. Head coach Frank Vogel believes it’s much ado about nothing.
“I’m not asked, I’m told that we’re old … I don’t really like the narrative,” Vogel said on the LakeShow podcast, via Sports Illustrated. “I don’t. These guys can play. We have great players on our team. Yes, some of them are towards the end of their career. But, they’re still producing at a high level. If you’re producing at a high level, it doesn’t matter how old you are.”
The Lakers are in win-now mode and there’s no doubt the roster is filled with talent. Whether all of that talent can hold up after an 82 game season remains to be seen. Either way, they’ll be a ton of fun to watch.
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Ex-Lakers Starting Guard Signs Deal With Warriors: Report