Los Angeles Lakers: Five players facing make or break seasons
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
KCP ended up with the Lakers this year only due to the craziness of the summer trades when Boston traded Avery Bradley to Detroit clearing cap space for their signing of Gordon Hayward. Yes, Lakers fans this means KCP is no Avery Bradley.
In spite of all the talk about how Caldwell-Pope will be the defensive stopper and three-point shooter, the Lakers need to be realistic. The Pistons (yes the Pistons) basically cut him from their roster. No question he will improve the Lakers defense, how much remains to be seen.
A career 40 percent shooter, Caldwell-Pope hit only 35 percent of his threes last year, slightly above his career average. After four years in the league, is it likely that he will improve in this area? Maybe Ball will find him more open looks, as well as easy layups, and his shooting takes a jump? I know, I know, a little optimistic.
On a nice one-year deal for $17 million, KCP is looking for a big-time long term contract next summer. To earn that he needs to deliver, on both ends of the floor, this year. That’s good news for the Lakers as he will be looking to earn that contract and should show up every game ready to prove he’s worth it.
The breakout opportunity for KCP is to show the Pistons made a mistake in letting him get away. Will he use that and his upcoming free agency as motivation to take his game to a higher level? The real question; is there a higher level he can get to?