Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons why Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can help team

5. He’s a good 3-point shooter

This is KCP’s primary skill, and it’s one the Lakers have sorely lacked in recent seasons.

This past season, they finished next-to-last in 3-point shooting percentage at just 33.3 percent. The season before? Also, dead-to-last with an accuracy of only 34.5 percent.

In fact, only twice in the last 20 seasons have the Lakers ranked higher than 10th in the league in 3-point shooting percentage.

When KCP first came to the Lakers two years ago, he had been a decent, but not great, outside shooter in four seasons in Detroit. While there, his high-water mark from downtown was 35 percent in 2016-17.

But as mentioned earlier, he improved to a strong 38.3 percent from beyond the arc in his first season with the Lakers. In fact, the only full month that year he struggled from that distance was December, in which he only made 29 percent of his treys.

If you don’t remember, that was the month when he was under what is known as a “work-release program,” where he was allowed to leave jail to attend Lakers games and practices that took place within the state of California.

Once that 25-day jail sentence was fulfilled, KCP caught fire, shooting over 40 percent from downtown in January, February and March. During those months, the Lakers went 22-18, compared to a pathetic 3-12 record in December.

This past season, it could be argued that all the injuries which led to then-coach Luke Walton constantly shuffling the lineup hurt KCP’s shooting rhythm.

More limited playing time next season may result in a more limited role, which could help KCP stay efficient. If he sticks to sticking open outside shots and cuts down on the freelancing and jacking up 3s on the break out of rhythm, it would greatly help.

If KCP stays within that role, playing alongside Anthony Davis should help give him more good, open looks from downtown.