Los Angeles Lakers: Avery Bradley drawing rave reviews in camp

Avery Bradley has been turning heads in the early going of Los Angeles Lakers training camp with his performance defensively.

The Los Angeles Lakers have officially gotten their 2019-20 season underway with training camp beginning this past weekend. While nothing is yet set in stone in terms of lineups, we know one thing about the Lakers; they are going to bring it defensively.

Throughout his head coaching career, Frank Vogel has led teams whose identities have been formed on the defensive side of the ball. Thus far as the head coach of the Lakers, the defense has been the focus.

Los Angeles has a lot of buzz heading into the season. When you have arguably the best duo in the NBA in LeBron James and Anthony Davis, great things are going to be expected. However, it is one of the other acquisitions this offseason that has been garnering a lot of buzz.

Avery Bradley was signed after securing a buyout from the Memphis Grizzlies. If his performance in Memphis to close out the 2018-19 season is a sign of things to come, the Lakers are getting quite a steal in free agency.

Bradley finished the season on a high note, averaging 16.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.0 steals in 31.6 minutes per game over the 14 games he played with the Grizzlies. It was a vast improvement over what he was doing with the LA Clippers, where he averaged only 8.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 0.6 steals in 29.6 minutes over the course of 55 games.

Bradley will be a good fit in the lineup given his floor spacing, as he knocked down 36.4 percent of his 3-point attempts in his career. His slashing and cutting will also be welcomed alongside a playmaker the caliber of James. However, it is his performance defensively that has drawn people’s attention.

James praised Bradley’s defensive performance following practice on Monday.

James wasn’t the only person that pointed out the tenacity that Bradley is bringing to the court defensively. Vogel also pointed it out as Bradley’s tenaciousness is all anyone talks about.

Vogel has experience coaching against Bradley when he was on the Boston Celtics. It is safe to say that he is happy that Bradley will be on his side now, not someone who he has to gameplan against.

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"“[He’s] being in the face of whoever has the basketball,” Vogel said. “It became very clear from coaching against him, I’d say, ‘Don’t dribble the ball. If Avery’s on you, pass the ball. Give it up, because you’re not going anywhere off the bounce with Avery Bradley on you.’”"

That kind of intensity is what could get Bradley into the starting lineup alongside James and Davis and wither JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard. They will need another player to help shut down the perimeter along with Danny Green and Bradley could be that guy.

With Davis and whoever starts at center protecting the rim and Green with potentially Bradley on the perimeter, the Lakers’ defense could be stout. Add in other players such as Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso and Jared Dudley and the team has a number of different combinations they can deploy to make it work defensively.

Bradley is one of the x-factors for the Lakers this upcoming season. Whether it is in the starting five or off the bench, he will be relied upon to help set the tone defensively for the team.