The Los Angeles Lakers should sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and here are four reasons why.
Saying the Los Angeles Lakers have been quiet in free agency is an understatement. The Lakers have yet to make a move in free agency, as they have not signed anyone. The only roster movement they have made following the 2017 NBA Draft is picking up the option for second year shooting guard, David Nwaba.
The Lakers had a chance to sign a few players in free agency. They met with multiple players but ultimately were unable to sign any of them. The reason being the Lakers unwillingness to hand out long-term deals that eat into future cap space.
The Lakers have their eyes set on free agency in 2018. There are a ton of star players available, such as Paul George and LeBron James.
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As a result, the Lakers were offering only one-year balloon deals to free agents. Dion Waiters and George Hill were two players the Lakers targeted with that kind of deal, but both agreed to long-term, lucrative contracts.
With no signings, the Lakers still have holes in their backcourt. They could use a backup point guard behind rookie Lonzo Ball and a shooting guard. The Lakers still have a chance to fill the shooting guard hole in free agency in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope began the offseason as a restricted free agent but had his rights renounced by the Detroit Pistons after they acquired Avery Bradley. As a result, he became an unrestricted free agent. With how late it is in free agency, Caldwell-Pope will be hard pressed to find the max deal he was hoping for as a restricted free agent.
The Lakers should take advantage of the market and aggressively pursue Caldwell-Pope now that he is a free agent. Here are four reasons the Lakers should sign Caldwell-Pope.