LOS ANGELES — It’s one thing when you can hit the court and prove your worth. But locked in a hotel room for days on end, Avery Bradley could only wait.

When he entered the league’s COVID-19 protocols in Dallas last month, Bradley ended up missing five games. For a player with a partially guaranteed contract, that feels like forever. The Lakers were happy with how the veteran guard was performing up to that point, emerging as a starter and a defensive tone-setter. But truly, the 31-year-old did not know precisely where he stood.

He tried to push it out of his mind.

“I didn’t know. I didn’t pay attention to any of that, because that’s outside of my control,” Bradley said. “Only thing I can control is my attitude, my effort every single day.”

Bradley came out the other side of his quarantine and landed right back in his starting role. And as of Friday afternoon, Bradley’s veteran’s minimum contract became fully guaranteed for the rest of the season.

It might have felt like a no-brainer step given his role since he joined the team shortly before the regular season began – literally playing against the Lakers in the preseason a week before. Bradley has started 27 of his 32 games, averaging 6.4 points and 2.5 rebounds entering Friday night while shooting 39.4% from 3-point range.

But Bradley – a journeyman who has played for six teams in the last five seasons – takes nothing for granted.

“I think this entire year, just the past couple years for me, has just been learning experiences,” he said before Friday night’s game against Atlanta. “I’ve just been looking at it as life lessons. I just don’t ever want to get ahead of myself and appreciate every single day.”

The Lakers have used him as a point-of-attack defender since signing him, and early on especially, Bradley’s tenacity stood out on that end. Coach Frank Vogel leaned on him as someone versed in his defensive scheme on a roster of players who were mostly learning it for the first time. The Lakers have asked Bradley to guard Ja Morant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and a number of top point guards night-to-night.

After he was one of the defensive tone-setters during the 2019-20 regular season (Bradley did not join the team in the NBA bubble), Bradley was all too happy to pick up where he left off under Vogel, who he said is “definitely at the top of the list” in how supportive he’s been.

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“I think it’s the underdog mentality: People that work hard and want to prove themselves every opportunity they get,” Bradley said of his relationship with Vogel. “I think we understand one another and he believes in me and I believe in him. And I just try to go out there and execute whatever it is for the team because I know it can not only ultimately help the team, but we’re always helping each other because we’re continuing to prove people wrong.”

Bradley was one of two Lakers who saw their contract guaranteed on Friday: Rookie guard Austin Reaves was also retained after the deadline. The Lakers have one open roster spot remaining after trading veteran guard Rajon Rondo earlier this week.

Vogel praised Bradley’s contributions so far – but also celebrated the effort he expects he will continue to bring.

“Intensity and playing hard is contagious,” Vogel said. “And knowing that you’re OK on certain matchups against elite offensive guards coming in here, it’s almost necessary. You wouldn’t say it’s a great luxury, but it’s really, to win in this league, it’s necessary to have somebody that can hold his own and then some against the elite guards that you’re seeing almost on a night-in, night-out basis.”