The Los Angeles Lakers have signed Russell Westbrook and Avery Bradley to two-year deals. The moves are expected to be good for the team, as they’ve added star power in a weak free agent class.
The “Los Angeles Lakers add Russell Westbrook, Avery Bradley to COVID” is a news article that discusses the Los Angeles Lakers adding two new players to their roster. The article also mentions that they will be playing for the team’s Co-Vid.
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McMenamin, Dave
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ESPN Contributor
- ESPN’s Lakers and NBA reporter.
- From 2009 to 2014, I covered the Lakers and NBA for ESPNLosAngeles.com, the Cavaliers for ESPN.com from 2014 to 2018, and the NBA for NBA.com from 2005 to 2009.
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Wojnarowski, Adrian
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NBA Insider Senior
- The Woj Pod’s host
- In 2017, he joined ESPN.
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — Russell Westbrook and Avery Bradley of the Los Angeles Lakers have entered the NBA’s health and safety procedures, the league said Thursday.
Meanwhile, according to ESPN, the Lakers aim to sign free agent Isaiah Thomas to a 10-day deal on Friday provided the league grants them a hardship exception.
The hardship exception was created by the league to enable a club to exceed the entire 15-man roster restriction if at least four players were sick or injured at the same time for at least two weeks.
The Lakers now have four players who have entered the league’s COVID-19 processes in the last 48 hours: Westbrook, Bradley, Talen Horton-Tucker, and Dwight Howard. Sources informed ESPN that guard Malik Monk, who underwent the procedures on Wednesday, tested out on Thursday.
Since the preseason, L.A. has been missing Trevor Ariza (ankle surgery) and Kendrick Nunn (bone bruise in his knee).
This season, more than 60 NBA players have been placed under COVID procedures, including 47 in December alone.
On Wednesday, the Lakers began their three-game road trip with a thrilling 107-104 overtime victory against the Dallas Mavericks. On Friday, they play Minnesota, and on Sunday, they play Chicago.
At 42 minutes in Dallas, Westbrook scored 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. In 24 minutes, Bradley had 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals.
According to ESPN, Bradley and Westbrook were not on the Lakers’ team trip from Dallas to Minneapolis on Thursday. Due to health and safety concerns, Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy and play-by-play announcer Bill Macdonald were also unable to attend the Mavs game.
Bradley, a 12-year veteran, is averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 23 minutes a game this season, averaging 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds in 26 games.
Thomas, who appeared in 17 games for the Lakers last season, most recently played for the New Orleans Pelicans on a 10-day deal last season, averaging 7.7 points on 33.3 percent shooting with 1.7 assists in three games.
On Wednesday, he scored 42 points for the Grand Rapids Gold of the G League, demonstrating that he can still play.
Thomas, a two-time All-Star with the Boston Celtics, has appeared in only 87 games for five different teams in the previous four seasons while attempting to sustain his career after dealing with recurring right hip injuries.
Thomas was teammates with LeBron James until being moved to the Los Angeles Lakers in February 2018 for Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr., along with Channing Frye and a first-round selection from the Cleveland Cavaliers. The transaction aided the Cavs’ season by allowing James to reach his seventh consecutive NBA Finals, and it also enabled the Lakers to clear the necessary salary space to acquire James as a free agency five months later.
In the summer, Thomas told ESPN’s Malika Andrews, “The sole aim is to be in the NBA and be on a team.” “I know I’ve got the ability to accomplish it, and I’m finally in good health. I’m simply waiting for the moment to present itself, and I’m certain that when it does, I’ll seize it with both hands with a grin on my face.”
