The Los Angeles Lakers have plenty of work to do this offseason when they try to convince Dwight Howard to re-sign with the team and be their franchise player moving forward. They also have to help make sure Kobe Bryant's Achilles' tendon rehab goes smoothly so he can return to the court as soon as possible while being as safe as possible when he does. But the Lakers also have to figure out how to add some depth to this roster.
One thing they won't worry about is having a 3-point shooting option coming off the bench (and possibly starting the season if Bryant can't return for the season opener). The Lakers have decided to exercise their team option on reserve shooting guard Jodie Meeks and bring him back for the 2013-14 season. From the Lakers:
The Los Angeles Lakers have exercised a team option on Jodie Meeks’ contract for the 2013-14 season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak. Per team policy, terms of the agreement were not released.
“Jodie is not only a gifted three-point shooter who helps us space the floor on the offensive end, but he is also a very active and underrated player defensively who continues to work on and improve all aspects of his game,” said Kupchak. “He was an important member of our team last year and we look forward to having him back for the 2013-14 season.”
Meeks averaged 7.9 points and 2.2 rebounds in 21.3 minutes last season. It was his fourth season in the league and his first season with the Lakers. He's also played for the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers. Meeks' specialty is 3-point shooting, which he struggled with throughout the season. He made 35.7 percent of his 3-pointers for the Lakers, just below the 36.0 percent league average.
Even though he struggled with his 3-point shot, the Lakers were better with him on the floor. They scored 106.4 points per 100 possessions with Meeks on the court, as opposed to the 105.0 points per 100 possessions with him on the bench. He's slated to make roughly $1.5 million next season.
