Through the first quarter of the NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled to find their footing with a new-look roster.
Los Angeles flipped the script with its roster construction, opting for more offensive-minded personnel than the defensive ones that shaped the team’s identity the last few seasons under head coach Frank Vogel.
But one player that had a defensive background is Avery Bradley, who the Lakers claimed off waivers from the Golden State Warriors right before the regular season started.
Initially signed to be a depth piece, Bradley became a starter with Trevor Ariza, Kendrick Nunn and Talen Horton-Tucker missing the start of the season due to respective injuries.
However, his measurable stats of 5.0 points per game on 34.9% 3-point shooting, topped with him having a defensive field goal difference percentage of 7.5% — how much better opponents shoot against Bradley compared to their average field goal percent (the higher, the worse) — has led to criticism over Vogel playing him despite what some of the statistics say.
Vogel explained Monday why Bradley is still in the rotation.
“Effort and intensity is infectious. He plays extremely hard. I know the numbers you’re talking about. We take them with a grain of salt,” Vogel said. “When a guy is bringing that type of effort and intensity, it’s just an intangible thing that energizes the group and sets the tone for our defense. So there’s a lot of positives with what he brings to the table.”
Having Ariza and Nunn back in the mix could change Bradley’s role with the team, especially because the Lakers signed him to take their minutes. His non-guaranteed contract allows L.A. to move on from him whenever it pleases, so it all essentially come down to what the team looks like when fully healthy.
