3. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
For starters, there’s the blatantly obvious “prove it” deal that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is playing on for the 2017-18 campaign. Rather than tie up cap space beyond this season, the Los Angeles Lakers gave KCP a one-year, $18 million contract to help make the team look better right before an expected free agency bonanza.
If the Lakers have a legitimate shot at signing LeBron James, Paul George or Russell Westbrook, they’ll drop KCP like a sack of potatoes regardless of how his season goes. If they strike out on all those high profile #FutureLakers, then Caldwell-Pope could become a fallback option.
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However, in either scenario, KCP only has one year of contract security. That means he needs to improve on his 13.8 points per game that included underwhelming .399/350/.832 shooting splits last year. Everyone knows he’s already a premier perimeter defender, but can he actually shoot after failing to surpass 42 percent shooting from the field once so far in his career?
KCP’s one-year deal necessitates a breakout season, but so does the fact that through his first four years in the league, he’s only brought the “D” to his supposed 3-and-D skill-set.