Los Angeles Lakers: KCP named second-best free agent shooting guard

As we head toward free agency, Bleacher Report recently ranked the top shooting guards. For the Los Angeles Lakers, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope made the list.

The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a very important offseason, as they hope to add some All-Stars to their talented young core. With all of the cap space the Lakers have, it also comes with a lot of players from last season that are free agents.

One of those players is shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Lakers signed KCP rather late in free agency last season, as he had his restricted rights renounced by the Detriot Pistons.

Since Caldwell-Pope became a free agent late in the process, his list of suitors wasn’t that long. In what was a creative move, the Lakers gave KCP a big one-year deal rather than sign him to a long-term deal, which would have limited their cap space for this offseason.

Now, Caldwell-Pope once again finds himself as a free agent this offseason. However, after a good season with the Lakers, he should be able to find a home rather easily. Recently, Bleacher Report ranked KCP as the second-best free agent shooting guard this offseason. Here’s what they said about KCP.

"Though Kentavious Caldwell-Pope failed to steal many headlines from Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and the rest of the youthful Los Angeles Lakers while operating on a one-year balloon deal of his own, he checked all the boxes that needed checking."

Overall, it was a good season in Los Angeles for KCP. As a strong defender, KCP helped the Lakers improve a lot on that end of the court. Also, he was one of their more efficient shooters from beyond the arc, which was an area that they struggled with.

While KCP did play well for the Lakers this past season, he likely won’t be a priority for them in free agency. For the Lakers, they need to have their cap space available in order to pursue the max-level players.

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For KCP, his strong season should have gained the attention of other teams around the league, as everyone likes a player that can shoot an play defense. As one of the top shooting guards available in free agency, KCP will likely get the long-term deal he sought last offseason.