Lakers Roster Faces One Major Red Flag They Must Fix Soon

By Ricardo Sandoval

Contributing Sports Writer

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The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a strong start to the season.

Through their first 15 games of the season, the Lakers sit at 11-4 and are at their healthiest in a long time.

The Lakers are proving, thus far, that they are an elite group in the league. Still, the Lakers have a long way to go, and while they've looked good in certain areas, one area they've struggled with so far has been their three-point shooting.

Los Angeles' three-point shooting has been far from elite, which is why ESPN NBA insider Kevin Pelton says the Lakers must address this issue soon, if they want to make some serious noise this season.

More news: Knicks Urged to Address One Major Weakness Ahead of Trade Deadline

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"Amusingly, LeBron James' return might help the Lakers most in terms of his shooting. With stars Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves both slumping beyond the arc (31.7 % and 32.6%, respectively, well below their career marks), the Lakers are 23rd in 3-point percentage. More troubling for a team trying to give Doncic space to operate, they're 27th in attempts beyond the arc.

"Getting James back in the lineup Tuesday should help, given he has shot 39% from 3 the past two seasons. And Dalton Knecht and Jake LaRavia should improve on their 32.6% and 34.0% shooting, respectively. Still, the Lakers could stand to upgrade on the minutes they're giving to defensive specialists Marcus Smart and Jarred Vanderbilt, who are both under 30% from beyond the arc. An ace shooter who can hold his own defensively would help the Lakers contend this season."

The Lakers are currently ranked 23rd in the league at three-point shooting percentage at 33.8 percent. Teams above them include the New Orleans Pelicans, Los Angeles Clippers and the Sacramento Kings, to name a few.

Los Angeles is making around 10.9 three per game, which also ranks them near the bottom of the league. As things stand, Lakers forward Rui Hachimura leads the team in three-point percentage at 48.1 percent on 3.9 attempts per game while making 1.9 per game.

The Lakers may be just one or two moves away from entering the title-favorite conversation this season, and adding a reliable three-point specialist could push them firmly into that tier.

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