The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to reclaim their spot at the top of the NBA.
Last season was an odd one for the Lakers.
They came into the season as a heavy favorite to repeat as champions.
The Lakers were on that trajectory until injuries hit their two biggest stars.
This led to chemistry issues and a first-round exit at the hands of the Phoenix Suns.
It was a devastating end for a team with such high aspirations.
They needed to look at themselves in the mirror and decide on what to do next to keep this window open for a few more years.
With the offseason in full swing, they have been busy to say the least.
So far, they have acquired a plethora of new talent to help LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
One of those new players is Carmelo Anthony.
Carmelo Anthony has agreed to a one-year deal with the Lakers, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/io67MpBSxz
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) August 3, 2021
Anthony is one of the best scorers of his generation and will be in the Hall of Fame one day.
However, he is 37 years old now and not one of the best players walking the Earth anymore.
That means he will have a role and need to fulfill.
First, we must examine what his role is for the Lakers.
Spot Up Shooter
The Lakers this past season finished in the bottom half in three-point shooting.
Also, they lost Kentavious Caldwell-Pope this offseason, who was their best outside shooter.
Anthony fits into that role in a significant way.
He shot the ball at an extremely high clip from three.
Carmelo Anthony shot 40.9% from three last season. pic.twitter.com/bpwe48QAMa
— StatMuse (@statmuse) August 3, 2021
He will be a key on the outside with Davis and James commanding the defense when they drive.
The same goes for the newly acquired, Russell Westbrook.
The Lakers’ three best players are all elite going to the rim.
That leaves them searching for players who can hit open threes anywhere on the court.
Anthony thrives at that the most.
In fact, he made 43.8 percent from corner threes this past year with the Portland Trail Blazers.
His role of being a knockdown shooter is perfect for Anthony at this stage of his career.
Bench Scoring
Not that long ago, Anthony refused to be a role players coming off the bench.
However, he embraced that role with the Trail Blazers.
His two seasons there saw him transform into a scoring threat off the bench.
This past season saw him only start in three games all season.
That did not stop him from putting up good numbers.
The Lakers are going to need to have him come off the bench.
He is James’ good friend and Davis could play the five.
However, he is best suited for being the sixth man on this team.
The signing was a true success.
He might be 37 years of age, but he is still a key player in this league.
Not a lot of individuals can score at such a high level like Anthony.
That is why this signing was a steal and he will truly embrace the roles he will be given by the head coach.
NEXT: Why Lakers Fans Should Be Concerned About Team's Age