2018 NBA free agency tracker: Grades for every deal so far
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: 1 year, $12 million (Los Angeles Lakers)
Sources: KCP agreeing to a one-year, $12 million deal. https://t.co/jxd6a4ToC0
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 2, 2018
There goes LeBron James getting his fellow Klutch Sports clients deals again! Just minutes after it was announced the King would be setting up his new throne in L.A., news broke Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — who played out last season on a lucrative, one-year “prove it” deal — would be earning a (somewhat) lucrative, one-year “prove it” deal to return to the Los Angeles Lakers.
This deal is a bit of a head-scratcher, though we obviously don’t know what Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka have up their sleeves next. This contract, along with LeBron’s mega-deal, means the team will either have to renounce Julius Randle (to get rid of his cap hold) or trade/stretch Luol Deng to create any sort of considerable cap room.
The Lakers getting LeBron was the big win, and now the focus will be trying to find a way to trade for Kawhi Leonard, but even on a one-year deal that keeps cap room available for next summer’s free agency, it seems like there could’ve been better ways to spend this money. Here’s hoping KCP’s stout wing defense and 38.3 percent 3-point shooting lasts next to LeBron, because it’s exactly what a LeBron team needs.
Bourguet Grade: B-
Hoops Habit Grade: B+