NBA Free Agency: Three reasons Lakers win by signing KCP
By Keith Rivas
It takes more pressure off of Josh Hart
Outside of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart could arguably have the biggest shoes to fill this coming season. After winning a championship in college at Villanova, Hart had to wait another season before getting picked up on draft night.
Los Angeles selected the shooting guard with one of their later picks, and it’s expected that he’ll have a large role this season. As part of the plan to replace D’Angelo Russell, the rookie will still have to find ways to produce alongside Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
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Instead of having it all come on him during his rookie campaign, having a guy like Caldwell-Pope does two things almost immediately. First, it gives the Lakers the vote of confidence they need from their management that good players are coming to Los Angeles and it’s more than just talk.
Secondly, it gives Hart more room to work with. Just in case he has a rough start to the regular season or things just aren’t right for whatever reason. Anything can happen with these young guys, especially in their first season as part of the NBA.
The Lakers also allow themselves some breathing room on offense. If Caldwell-Pope challenges himself to take some harder shots, it might make things easier for Lonzo Ball and company. But even then, the signing allows for the Lakers to use Caldwell-Pope as a comparison for Hart early on in his career.