Los Angeles Lakers: Latest rumors on Carmelo Anthony, KCP trade and more

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a trade target for 76ers

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Jimmy Butler have already met as opponents this season. Could they soon both be playing for the Philadelphia 76ers?

It’s possible, at least once Dec. 15 rolls around. That’s when the Lakers will be able to trade KCP and his newly signed contract. Based on recent rumors, the 76ers are believed to have some serious interest in acquiring the mercurial 3-and-D shooting guard.

Here’s this from Kevin O’Connor during his appearance on “The Ringer NBA Show”:

"”[The Sixers’] depth is depleted. They need to add shooting, I had in my article on Saturday that they still retain interest in Cavs wing Kyle Korver. I’ve since heard that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope on the Lakers is a guy that they could have eyes for, but even then, Korver is obviously one of the greatest shooters ever, KCP is an inconsistent shooter. I’m not sure how much he would solve their issues, but the point is that they need to find shooting.”"

The big problem here is figuring out what’s in it for the Lakers. Barring some overvalued offer from Philly, it seems hard to imagine Magic having much interest in dealing KCP. He’s been inconsistent this season, but brings a solid defensive and shooting presence off the bench.

If the Lakers plan on making a playoff run in 2018-19, they need to retain as many scorers as possible. Unless the 76ers are willing to toss in a first round pick (unlikely), the LeBrons may be better off retaining him than accepting low-impact returns.