Los Angeles Lakers: Where each expiring veteran should sign this summer
By Jason Reed
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: New Orleans Pelicans
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope originally signed with the Los Angeles Lakers two summers ago to a one-year, $18 million contract. Caldwell-Pope was a late signing in the offseason and appeared to be the perfect usage of the Lakers’ remaining funds.
Caldwell-Pope had a lot of potential as a three and D guy as he showed promise with the Detroit Pistons. And while he has not been horrible in his Laker career, he has not been as good as he could have been.
It appeared as if Caldwell-Pope was undoubtedly going to be on his way out of LA last offseason after the team signed LeBron. However, since the team missed out on Paul George and KCP is represented by Klutch Sports, he got another one-year contract, this time for $12 million.
The Lakers essentially signed Caldwell-Pope to a two-year, $30 million contract, which sounds a lot worse when you put it that way.
Caldwell-Pope’s career as a Laker should come to an end and when evaluating his options he should join a former teammate in Julius Randle in New Orleans.
The Pelicans could use a shooting guard to space the floor as well as the defense that Caldwell-Pope provides. It is not a big move by any means and does not make the Pelicans significantly better, but it is a move a small market team usually makes.