Once just a fan of the Lakers, Reggie Bullock will be key to L.A.’s playoff run

As a basketball fan in Los Angeles, CA, almost everyone grows up wanting to one day suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers. However, because the Lakers are one of the biggest teams in all of sports, there are also people from across the United States that grow up with the same dream. People like Reggie Bullock.

The Lakers acquired Bullock from the Detroit Pistons just days before the NBA trade deadline in hopes that he would help them become a better 3-point shooting team. Bullock is a career 39.8 percent 3-point shooter, and this season the Lakers are ranked 27th in the league in 3-point percentage, so the appeal to adding him was obvious.

Bullock actually walked the halls of Staples Center earlier in his career, but it was while he was with the Clippers during his rookie season. Now with the Lakers, Bullock wants to do everything he can to help the team he grew up admiring make a push for the playoffs.

“It’s great being back here in the city. I was a Lakers fan growing up, being able to be here at Staples and put on a Lakers jersey, be part of such a great organization, I’m glad they came and found me,” Bullock said after the Lakers’ 111-106 win over the Houston Rockets on Thursday.

“I’m glad to be here and glad to be with a team to make a push at it.”

Bullock won’t just be on the roster as the Lakers make a run at the last playoff spot, though — he’ll be expected to be a key contributor. So far, he’s off to a great start.

Through his first three games with the Lakers, Bullock is averaging 10.3 points on 45.8 percent shooting from the field, and is making 43.8 percent of his attempts from behind the 3-point line. It’s a small sample size, but there’s no reason to believe he won’t continue to a consistent threat from the perimeter, if not the Lakers’ most consistent threat.

Bullock has also contributed a modest 3.7 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.3 steals and a block per game since joining the purple and gold.

Bullock might not have been the sexiest acquisition at the trade deadline, but his presence could be the reason the Lakers sneak into the playoffs. For a kid that just wanted to play basketball in the purple and gold armor, that’s pretty special.

For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts. You can follow Christian on Twitter at @RadRivas.