The Los Angeles Lakers continued to grab the headlines on the second day of free agency, adding Carmelo Anthony, Kendrick Nunn, and Malik Monk to their already stacked lineup. They joined newly signed free agents Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, Kent Bazemore, and Wayne Ellington in the Lakers' rebuilt roster that is brimming with veteran experience heading into the 2021-22 season.
Out of the seven players mentioned above that the Lakers have agreed to sign, five are entering at least their 10th season in the league. Anthony is one of the last three players remaining from the 2003 rookie class, tying him with Udonis Haslem and his new Lakers teammate LeBron James as the longest-tenured players in the NBA. Ariza and Howard are entering the 18th year of their careers and are one season behind James and Anthony.
Outside shooting the main priority for the Lakers heading into free agency
The main focus of the Lakers heading into free agency was to get as many shooters as possible to surround their Big Three of James, Anthony Davis, and the newly acquired Russell Westbrook from the Washington Wizards.
Last season, the Lakers struggled with their outside shot, as they were ranked 21st in the league in 3-point percentage. With the Lakers shooting at a low clip from the perimeter, they opted not to take many attempts from beyond the arc as they were ranked 24th in the NBA in 3-point shots taken last season.
The Lakers managed to get some help in that department in free agency, landing Kendrick Nunn from the Miami Heat on a two-year deal worth $10 million. The Lakers used their taxpayer mid-level exception to acquire Nunn, who reportedly turned down significantly higher offers from other teams to line up alongside James and co.
He averaged 14.6 points and 3.2 rebounds per game for the Heat last season while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc and 48.5 percent from the field in 56 games played. He is one of the few young players on the Lakers roster, with Nunn turning 26 on Tuesday.
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Monk, Nunn, and Anthony provide new weapons for Vogel
Joining Nunn in the Lakers backcourt is Malik Monk, who signed a veteran's minimum deal. He showed some potential while coming off the bench for Charlotte last season, averaging 11.7 points and shooting 40.1 percent from the 3-point line.
Carmelo Anthony is another player that Lakers head coach Frank Vogel can trust when shooting from deep. Anthony thrived in his role as a bench player for the Portland Trail Blazers last season, knocking down 41 percent of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Anthony's shooting has been a revelation since he was signed by the Blazers two years ago, hitting 40 percent of his three-point shots over his two seasons in Portland. Compared to his shooting percentages in his previous stints in Houston and Oklahoma City, that's a marked improvement. Anthony shot just 35 percent from beyond the arc in his stops there, causing his stock to drop in the NBA.
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