Should Avery Bradley play point guard or shooting guard?
Bradley’s a sound defensive point guard, but awful offensively. On the contrary, he’s a solid offensive shooting guard, but too small to handle opposing 2’s on defense.
Where should he play next season for the Lakers?
Danny Green is going to start next year for the Purple and Gold at the shooting guard position because he’s one of the best 2’s in the NBA.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be the 2nd string shooting guard, because at 6’5,” he has the prototypical size to body up stronger wings and worry them as they try to get to the rack. He also has the length to disturb the glut of snipers across the NBA from getting up uncontested 3-pointers. On offense, Bradley is a slightly better shooter from distance than KCP, but his advantage is negligible.
That means if Bradley were to be a shooting guard next year, he’d be third on the Lakers depth chart.
As for the Lakers point guard situation, outside of Bradley, there are three other 1’s on the squad; Rajon Rondo, Quinn Cook, and Alex Caruso.
The Lakers crop of PG’s is much weaker than the shooting guards.
Rajon Rondo has a horrible 3-point stroke, and he’s one of the worst defenders in the league.
Quinn Cook is a great shooter from deep, but like Rondo, he’s a lousy defender.
Alex Caruso showed promise at the end of last season. He was a great defender, plus he was able to work out of the pick and roll, and he shot very well from beyond the arc. With that said, he played sound basketball through 25 meaningless games, it’s yet to be seen whether he’s genuinely a starting-caliber point guard.
Bradley has the best opportunity to play and make an impact for the Lakers if he suits up as a point guard next season.
We’ve established that Bradley’s good at defending opposing point guards, but he can’t run an offense. Fortunately, this version of the Lakers offers Avery the perfect opportunity to hide his offensive ineptitude’s.
In fact, his inability to run an offense actually works in his favor on LeBron’s Lakers. LBJ wants to be the de facto point guard next season, and he doesn’t want to bother with a PG who also craves an opportunity to run things.
All the Lakers need from their starting 1 next season is a player who can bring the ball up the court (and then pass to LeBron), spread the floor by hitting open three’s, and play good defense. Bradley checks all those boxes.
Next season Avery Bradley should play point guard for the Lakers.