Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons why Jeff Teague is a nice fallback option

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 06: Jeff Teague #00 of the Atlanta Hawks dribbles against the Washington Wizards during the first half at Capital One Arena on March 06, 2020 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Will Newton/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

5. Jeff Teague can score

With James creeping up there in age and mileage, he can’t and shouldn’t be called upon to score 25-30 points every night, especially in the middle of the season when physical and mental fatigue is a factor.

Teague has always been an adept scorer. He has a career average of 12.6 points a game, and even though that sounds weak, it has come in 27.5 minutes per game.

His per-36 career scoring average, on the other hand, is 16.4, which is very solid.

Teague has always been known as a pretty explosive player in terms of speed, which allows him to penetrate and get to the rim. He’s pretty good at drawing fouls, and with a career average of 84.4 percent from the charity stripe, he can improve one of the Lakers’ biggest weaknesses.

Teague’s speed makes him a threat to push the ball and attack in transition, which makes him a nice fit for a fast-break team like the Lakers.

He’s not the greatest 3-point shooter in the world, but his career average of 35.6 percent from downtown is respectable. This past season he made 36.8 percent of his treys, which is above-average.

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