Los Angeles Lakers: Grading the team’s offseason moves so far
By Jason Elbaum
2. Signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, $18 million contract
With the departure of Nick Young to the Golden State Warriors, the Lakers were in the market for a new shooting guard this summer. Lucky for them, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was one of the most talented free agents and did not receive the attention that many NBA experts thought he would when free agency first opened up.
The fourth-year guard out of Georgia has certainly satisfied the Lakers’ needs for a defensive-minded shooting guard. Caldwell-Pope’s presence has taken a great deal of pressure off of rookie Lonzo Ball and allowed him to defend the opposing guard who is less of an offensive threat with his backcourt partner taking on the superstars of the league.
On the offensive end, Caldwell-Pope is averaging 14.2 points per game on 40.7 percent shooting and a career-best 35.5 percent on 3-pointers. He has been somewhat one-dimensional on offense as a catch-and-shoot option off of screens. He could increase his scoring output by getting to the free throw line more often through driving to the basket.
Overall this was an excellent move for the Lakers as they can use his one-year contract to evaluate whether or not Caldwell-Pope is part of the team’s future plans. Despite his ongoing battle with a legal issue, KCP has been exactly what the Lakers expect and still has room to grow throughout the rest of the season.
Grade: A-