Eric Gordon exercises 2015-16 player option with Pelicans

Alvin Gentry has at least one lights-out shooter to put around Anthony Davis for next season.

Eric Gordon has picked up his 2015-16 player option, keeping him a member of the New Orleans Pelicans for at least one more season. Gordon's option year will see him earn $15.5 million, which always made it seem likely - though not certain - that he'd exercise it.

Along with the appreciable salary, the chance to play another season alongside Davis - likely in a more exciting offensive environment - was surely enticing.

"I'm really excited to continue playing for the Pelicans," Gordon said. "We had a strong finish to last season. And with this core group of young players we have, and with Alvin Gentry's new leadership and vision, we all expect even bigger things next season."

Gentry is a proponent of the spread pick-and-roll, which theoretically means Gordon's marksmanship will take on even greater import. While often streaky, Gordon is a 38.3-percent outside shooter for his career and hit 44.8 percent from long range in 2014-15. In 61 games, he averaged 13.4 points and 3.8 assists, but his shooting load could stand to increase.

The key for the shooting guard to re-establish himself as a potential star will be staying on the floor. The 26-year-old hasn't played more than 64 games in a season since his 2008-09 rookie year and has missed an average of 30.3 games in that span. While the injuries have been a detriment to his team, they've also kept him from maintaining a rhythm and a prominent role: his scoring average and field-goal attempts have been on a steady decline since his career-best 2010-11 season with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Pelicans shot 37 percent on 3-point attempts this year, fourth in the NBA, but ranked 23rd in attempts. As those dial up, so should Gordon's, making him an early candidate for the 3-point-shooting leaderboards next year.

That likely played into Gordon's opt-in decision as well - he could be in for a nice bounce-back season ahead of unrestricted free agency and the salary-cap explosion of 2016.