LeBron to Korver: 'Shoot the ball every time you get it'
Kyle Korver serves a role and he serves it well, acting as a spot-up shooter from deep who can convert 3-pointers at an efficient rate - something he's essentially done for the better part of his ongoing 14-year career.
He'll look to carry over his hot shooting to the reigning NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers, who acquired the 35-year-old in a trade on Jan. 7 from the Atlanta Hawks in exchange for Mike Dunleavy and a heavily protected 2019 draft pick.
His new teammate, four-time Most Valuable Player LeBron James, is aware of Korver's major strength, and doesn't want him to shy away from doing what he's best at now that he's in Cleveland.
"The first thing I told him ... was, 'If you want to fit in, shoot the ball every time you get it,'" James said on Tuesday, according to ESPN's Dave McMenamin.
While his percentages have taken a dip the past two seasons, Korver's effectiveness in knocking down shots from the perimeter remains at an elite level. In 32 appearances for Atlanta, Korver hit 40.9 percent from 3-point range on 159 total attempts.
The Cavaliers aren't exactly in desperate need of another shooter, ranking second in makes per game (12.9), attempts (33.1), and percentage (38.9). Yet, despite that, the team's offense thrives when James is surrounded by players who can spread the floor, as his ability to draw in defenders and create space for his teammates is unparalleled.
Factoring Korver into that equation makes Cleveland all the more potent offensively as they look to defend their crown from last season.