Los Angeles Lakers: Ranking the 5 best buyout candidates
3. Avery Bradley
Remember Avery Bradley, Lakers fans? There are a number of reasons to feel sorry for Avery Bradley, from him missing out on LA’s championship run in the bubble to him missing all but 10 games for the Miami Heat this season. But the biggest one is that the Heat included him in the Victor Oladipo trade, banishing him to a Houston Rockets squad that’s lost 22 of its last 23 games.
The Rockets could keep him, since he’s a useful, defensive-minded veteran with a team-friendly $5.9 million player option for next season. But Houston is fully tanking with no chance at being competitive for the next few years, so wouldn’t it be better to just set him free as a buyout candidate?
A name to monitor as the Lakers look to fill their final roster spots: Avery Bradley. He was traded to HOU from MIA today. Rockets already have logjam of guards to back up John Wall. Bradley, a former Pelinka client, made strong impression on LAL before opting out of the bubble
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) March 25, 2021
If Bradley hits the market, an LA reunion would be the perfect ending to what’s been a tumultuous last year for the 30-year-old guard. He’d be a terrific addition to the NBA’s best defense, and as a career 36.5 percent 3-point shooter, he’d at least be competent in helping space the floor.
The Lakers need two-way guards and wings to double down on their league-leading defense, pad their depth and remain afloat without LeBron and AD for the next few weeks. Bradley would be a great help on all those fronts.