BOSTON, MA - MAY 10: Avery Bradley #0 of the Boston Celtics dunks against the Washington Wizards during the first half of Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 10, 2017 in Boston, Massachusetts.
With the NBA season restart in Walt Disney World is set to start July 31. Numerous players have already come out and said that they would not be partaking in the remainder of the season, citing various reasons. One of the players of note who will not be in Orlando for the start of the NBA season’s resumption is Los Angeles Lakers guard Avery Bradley.
Bradley has been a huge part for the Lakers success here this season, being a lockdown defender along the perimeter. The reason as to why Bradley has decided to opt out, is because of his 6-year-old son, who in the past has had respiratory issues. Bradley is fearful that his son would not be able to come to the bubble given his health and is fearful of bringing something back.
This season for the Lakers, Bradley played in 49 games in which he averaged 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 0.9 steals, all in 24.4 minutes per game.
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Bradley issued a statement about him not playing. “As committed to my Lakers teammates and the organization as I am, I ultimately play basketball for my family,” he said. “And so, at a time like this, I can’t imagine making any decision that might put my family’s health and well-being at even the slightest risk. As promised also, I will use this time away to focus on the formation of projects to help strengthen my communities.”
Bradley along with Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving have been big advocates for players sitting out the season restart to advocate for various social justice issues taking place in the United States right now.
Currently on the Lakers roster, they have Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Carusso, Danny Green and Dion Waiters who can fill Bradley’s spot in the lineup.
There have been rumors of JR Smith to be signed as a free agent, reuniting with LeBron James whom he played with from 2015-2018, where they won an NBA Championship in 2016. Other notable free agent shooting guards outside of Smith the Lakers could sign include Jamal Crawford, CJ Miles, Iman Shumpert and Tyler Johnson.
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