There is nothing that Hollywood loves more than a good sequel, and the Los Angeles Lakers reportedly tried to make that happen this summer with a veteran who recently donned the Purple and Gold.
Unfortunately, like many other ideas for sequels to movies, Los Angeles's attempt at a reunion with the veteran never gained much traction after he was shipped to a Western Conference team ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft.
With this option off the table, Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office pivoted to other options in hopes of putting together the best possible roster around veteran cornerstones LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
Lakers Reportedly Swung and Missed on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Trade
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a member of the Lakers roster from 2017 through 2021 and helped the franchise win a championship in the Disney Bubble. According to Brett Siegel of Clutch Points, Los Angeles attempted to engage the Memphis Grizzlies in trade talks involving the veteran wing after he was acquired in the deal that sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic.
The Lakers discussed Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Donte DiVincenzo as potential trade targets with the Grizzlies and Timberwolves, sources told @ClutchPoints.
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) July 21, 2025
KCP talks happened after he was included in the Bane-ORL trade. MIN immediately turned down DiVincenzo talks. https://t.co/kN3jZ7HgdH
Those talks ultimately went nowhere as Caldwell-Pope is still on the roster in Memphis and looks to be part of the team's plans for the 2025-26 campaign. With Los Angeles still needing help on the wing, the Lakers turned their attention to Jake LaRavia and signed the free agent shortly after the offseason negotiation period opened.
The Purple and Gold also addressed their depth on the perimeter with the signing of Marcus Smart. Injuries have been an issue for him in recent years, though, and it is hard to envision a scenario where he doesn't miss time during the regular season.
With free agency all but over and the trade market drying up after a hectic month of deals, there aren't many other options available for Pelinka to add to this roster.
Fans will have to wait and see how that plays out. However, thanks to the latest reporting on the matter, we now know which veteran Los Angeles's front office coveted.