Avery Bradley signs a two-year deal with Lakers after clearing waivers

The Lakers signed free-agent guard Avery Bradley to a two-year deal for $9.7 million after he cleared waivers Monday, his agent, Bill Duffy of BDA Sports, told The Times.

Bradley signed with a salary-cap exception and the second year is a player option, Duffy said. The 6-foot-2 veteran joins a Lakers team that now has seven guards not counting LeBron James, who will be the starting point guard next season.

Over the course of his nine-year career, the 28-year-old Bradley has made his mark as an outstanding one-on-one defender. He was named to the NBA’s all-defensive team in 2016 and the second team in 2013 while playing for Boston.

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Bradley started 49 games last season with the Clippers, averaging 8.2 points and shooting 33.7% from three-point range, but struggled with injuries. After he was dealt to Memphis at the trade deadline, he averaged 16.1 points in 14 starts and shot 38.4% from three-point range.

He is a career 36.4% three-point shooter.

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Bradley joins returning Lakers guards Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso and newcomers Danny Green, Troy Daniels and Quinn Cook.

The Lakers now have a 14-man roster, one short of the NBA maximum.

Lakers roster (as of Monday)

GUARDS

Quinn Cook (Height: 6-2, Age: 26): Cook took some time to gain a foothold in the NBA, but played in 74 games with the Golden State Warriors last season. He averaged 6.9 points in 14.3 minutes per game and is a career 47.4% shooter.

Alex Caruso (6-5, 25): Caruso spent two seasons earning his place in the NBA as a two-way player, bouncing between the Lakers and South Bay.

Avery Bradley (6-2, 28): This will be Bradley’s 10^th season in the NBA. The Memphis Grizzlies waived the shooting guard last week, opening the door for the Lakers to sign him Monday.

Danny Green (6-6, 32): The shooting guard had a big year with the Toronto Raptors last season and was a critical part of their championship team. He shot 46.5% from the field and 45.5% from three-point range after the San Antonio Spurs traded him as part of the deal that sent Kawhi Leonard to Toronto.

Rajon Rondo (6-1, 33): Rondo signed a two-year contract after coming to the Lakers on a one-year deal last season. He helped settle the offense when he was on the court and was well liked by the Lakers’ young players (most of whom have since been traded).

Troy Daniels (6-4, 27): Daniels aids the Lakers’ quest for better shooting. He signed a one-year deal.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6-5, 26): Caldwell-Pope signed a two-year contract after being with the Lakers on one-year deals for the last two seasons. He shot 43% from the field and 34.7% from three-point range and has been the Lakers’ best free-throw shooter for the last two seasons.

Talen Horton-Tucker (6-4, 18): The Lakers’ second-round pick comes out of Iowa State and has an impressive 7-foot-1 wingspan. The Lakers are excited about his potential given his youth.

FORWARDS

LeBron James (6-8, 34): James is heading into his 17^th season. While he has been a forward who handles the ball for much of his career, the Lakers plan to play James at point guard next season.

Anthony Davis (6-10, 26): Davis is one of the NBA’s five best players. Trading for him gave the Lakers a star they had coveted to pair with James.

Kyle Kuzma (6-9, 23): Kuzma is the only player the Lakers drafted in recent years to remain on the team after the trade for Davis sent five of those players — four of them first-round picks — to other teams. The Lakers believe in Kuzma’s future and refused to include him.

Jared Dudley (6-7, 33): Dudley is known as a solid locker room presence for young players. He spent last season in Brooklyn helping the Nets return to the playoffs.

CENTERS

JaVale McGee (7-0, 31): After revitalizing his career with the Golden State Warriors, McGee became critically important for the Lakers last season. He started in a career-high 62 games, playing in 75, and averaged 12 points, two blocks and 7.5 rebounds.

DeMarcus Cousins (6-11, 28): Cousins has been one of the NBA’s best centers and was playing some of his best basketball with Davis and Rondo on the New Orleans Pelicans before suffering a torn Achilles in January 2018. Cousins spent last season with the Warriors as he recovered and was also hampered in the playoffs by a torn quadriceps muscle.