​New Los Angeles Lakers starting center Walker Kessler is known as a prolific shot-blocker and an outstanding rebounder. But he isn’t known as an offensive threat.He can convert lob passes into layups and dunks, and he can run the floor for easy transition baskets. But other than that, he hasn’t developed his offensive game in his four NBA seasons — with one slight exception.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis past season, in the five games he played before shoulder surgery sidelined him for the rest of the campaign, Kessler made six of eight 3-point attempts. That’s a very small sample space, but it could’ve been a sign of things to come.During his first media availability as a member of the Lakers, Kessler said that coach JJ Redick encouraged him to continue to develop his 3-point shooting.“Coach JJ is obviously hyper-intelligent and obviously being a shooter himself we’ve talked about it and he wants me to be able to do that,” Kessler said during his recent media availability. “Because I think, for a big to be able to stretch the floor like that, or even have the threat of it, I think it makes other team’s scout really difficult. Because whether I can do that on pop, or catch on the pop, go second-side or be able to roll. Both of those things are gonna be really important.”Teams can never have too much 3-point shooting in the NBA, and it’s a skill set needed when a team is built around a wonderful passer such as Luka Doncic. The Lakers were 14th in 3-point shooting and 24th in 3-point attempts last season, and they’re set to improve in both categories because they will have more outside shooting threats this coming season.For his career so far, Kessler has averaged 9.5 points on 68.1% shooting, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes a game. It seems some are underselling or even casting doubt on the impact he will have on Los Angeles, but make no mistake — he’s the type of center the team has badly needed for some time.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Walker Kessler on JJ Redick talking to him about 3-point shooting