DeMarre Carroll wonders if Avery Bradley would get a Lakers ring

Citing family reasons, Avery Bradley didn’t join the Lakers for the restart of the 2019-20 NBA season at the Disney World bubble.

With Saturday’s victory in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals over Denver, the Los Angeles Lakers are now in the NBA Finals and just four wins from their first title since 2010. They should be heavy favorites in the Finals over either the Boston Celtics or Miami Heat.

As with the Houston Rockets in the second round, the Lakers dispatched the Nuggets with relative ease in another series decided by a 4-1 margin.

Should LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and the Lakers do as expected and claim the league’s 2020 crown, it’s worth remembering that their consistent dominance comes despite the unexpected loss of a starter.

Best known for his defense, veteran guard Avery Bradley started 44 of 49 games played for the Lakers this season. He averaged 8.6 points in 24.2 minutes per game, including 36.4% on 3-pointers.

But citing family reasons amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Bradley chose not to report when the 2019-20 season was restarted at the league’s Disney World “bubble” in July. After Saturday’s Game 5, veteran forward DeMarre Carroll — who played sparingly for Houston in the 2020 playoffs — asked on Twitter whether Bradley would get a championship ring.

The answer: Probably. According to a July story from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka already told the 29-year-old that they would give him a ring, should they win the 2020 title.

However, Bradley told Haynes that he wasn’t sure if he’s accept it.

Will I accept the ring? I’m neither here nor there about it. I am 10 years in this league. The physical possession of a ring doesn’t make me feel like more or less of a person.

I play basketball strictly for enjoyment and to add to the support of my family. Supporting them is exactly what I’m doing right now.

Bradley was one of the only players from a perceived championship contender who chose not to report to Florida.

Nonetheless, Bradley’s family rationale is very understandable (he has a 6-year-old son with a history of struggling to recover from respiratory issues), and he was a valued contributor to a team that was 49-14 before the hiatus — meaning they already had the West’s No. 1 seed on virtual lock. It’s only natural for the organization to seek to reward him, should they accomplish their ultimate goal in the 2020 NBA Finals.

As for the 34-year-old Carroll, he’s set to enter free agency this fall after failing to find a consistent role in Houston. (The Rockets signed him in February after a contract buyout from San Antonio.) Given his age and relative lack of impact, it would be a mild surprise if he returns.

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