Los Angeles Lakers: 5 takeaways from the preaseason
By Ethan Temkin
5.) Avery Bradley is looking better than advertised
Avery Bradley was one of the bigger question marks heading into the season, as he has had an up and down career. He started out as an All-NBA caliber defender for the Boston Celtics but has been regressing due to injury and change of role for the Detroit Pistons, LA Clippers, and Memphis Grizzlies.
With a renewed sense of purpose and a more defined role, Bradley has been looking to make a comeback and so far in the preseason, he’s done just that. His aggressiveness on the defensive end has been a boon for the team and although his 3-point percentage wasn’t out of this world — at only 33.3% on three attempts per game — he showed a willingness to take them, which is just as important.
His finishing at the rim is still questionable, he’s dropped a number of passes, and made some questionable turnovers, but this is preseason after all.
Even with all of that, Bradley has overall shown encouraging signs that he’ll be a positive contributor for the Lakers and he should continue to get better as the season goes along and he gets more comfortable with the team.