Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons why LA should sign Carmelo Anthony

By Jason Reed | Jul 8, 2021

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - FEBRUARY 17: Carmelo Anthony #00 of the Portland Trail Blazers stands on the court during the third quarter of an NBA game against the New Orleans Pelicansat Smoothie King Center on February 17, 2021 in New Orleans, Louisiana. 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 Sean Gardner/Getty Images) /

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(Photo by Steve Dykes/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Carmelo Anthony adds shooting to the Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have gone against the grain a bit as the entire league goes towards three-point shooting. While the Lakers have some shooters, they do not take threes at nearly the highest rate nor make them at the best rate, instead relying on the dominant duo that is LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

It is easy to do that when you have two of the 10 best players in the league. However, with AD out, the Lakers’ lack of shooting was exposed as LeBron could not do the same things he did in Cleveland when he was surrounded by shooters (and a few years younger).

Plus, the competition it getting stiffer and if the Lakers are going to beat a team like the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA Finals next season they are going to need shooting. The starpower advantage alone won’t be enough.

The one thing that Carmelo can still do at a fairly high level is shoot the basketball. Melo shot 40.9% from beyond the arc last season on 4.7 attempts per game. It was the highest percentage of his career as he was just one of 22 players in the NBA to shoot 40% or higher with at least 300 attempts.

Carmelo is not a great defender and the Lakers would have to mask him there and he does not have the same iso skills that he used to have. But as an off-ball three-point threat? Carmelo can hang with the best of them.

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