NBA: Ranking the league’s best third options

NBA: Ranking the league’s best third options: 12. Carmelo Anthony, Los Angeles Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers offensive options are a lot more complicated than many people would like to believe. Since Anthony Davis came on board a little over two seasons ago, LeBron James has openly accepted playing second fiddle. With those two at the top of opposing teams scouting reports, many are left believing that Russell Westbrook is their third-best scoring option. Well, we’re here to tell you that it isn’t true.

Listen, we’re well aware that Westbrook is a multiple-time All-Star, has an MVP award on his mantle, is the king of the triple-double, and a first-ballot Hall of Famer but he’s simply awful on offense at this point in his career. Westbrook routinely throws up bricks during the course of a game. He’s isn’t a good 3-point shooter, he isn’t efficient inside the arc and even his free throw shooting continues to plummet.

Carmelo Anthony may not be the player he once was, but at this point in his career, he’s still a better scoring option than Westbrook. The newly minted top 75 player is shooting a career-high 44.9% from behind the 3-point line. He’s also still money from the charity stripe, nailing over 80%.

Anthony won’t get as many offensive touches as he did in the past but the Lakers would much have the ball in his hands as opposed to Westbrook’s.