[ad_1]
Having opted out of the NBA summer restart, the veteran shooting guard Avery bradley it was not in the Lakers‘active roster when they secured the 17th title in franchise history in Orlando earlier this week. However, Bradley was extremely involved in his team’s playoff race and held the championship at his home in Texas, according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin and Malika Andrews.
“I watched all the games” Bradley said. “I’m still a Laker.”
Bradley has a player option worth $ 5MM + for 2020/21, and despite being separated from his teammates for the past few months, he doesn’t seem like someone who is preparing to leave the franchise this fall. As McMenamin and Andrews detail, Bradley received FaceTime calls during Sunday’s celebration from various members of the Lakers, including the general manager. Rob pelinka, who has said that the guard will get a championship ring.
“He was just letting me know that I’m part of it.” Bradley said. “It has been a long and amazing season. And we’ve been through a lot. It was an incredible victory. You could see it on his face. “
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- ESPN’s Rachel Nichols (video link) got an exclusive meeting with Lebron James Y Anthony Davis after Sunday’s win and asked the two superstars about their respective futures. However, when pressed about his free agency, Davis did not offer more details to Nichols than to the rest of the media. “We’ll see,” Davis said. With a laugh, James chimed in, “No one is talking about it right now.”
- As part of his preview of the Lakers offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks (internal link) explores the hindrance of Davis free agency and his possible contract scenarios. Marks also looks at the possibility of an extension for James and evaluates where things are for the rest of the list.
- Marks and John Hollinger of The Athletic believe that a three-year maximum salary contract with an opt-out after the second year could be the most logical option for Davis and the Lakers this fall. That would put Davis in a position to earn a higher maximum (35% of the cap instead of 30%) when he gains 10 years of NBA experience in 2022. It would also ensure he receives an 8% raise in 2021. If he signs one contracts per year for the next two years, you would not be sure of that increase as there is no guarantee that the cap (and maximum salary) will increase in 2021/22.
- Earlier this afternoon, we passed the initial odds for the Western Conference in 2020/21. The Lakers, at +275, are considered favorites for now.
[ad_2]
