3. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The Lakers offseason retool included the re-signing of only one of their free agents from last season. That player was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope had arguably the best season of his career in his first season with the Lakers. He improved his shooting percentages while also averaging a career-high in rebounds, while still providing great defense.
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Caldwell-Pope is a great fit for the Lakers retooled roster. As a 3-and-D player, he should adapt seamlessly to a role in a lineup alongside LeBron James. His skill set is an upgrade over the 3-and-D players James has had at his disposal in recent seasons.
If Caldwell-Pope is such a great fit, why does he end up on this list? For two seasons. Josh Hart and his contract.
Playing on a one-year deal, Caldwell-Pope could be used as filler in a trade to make salaries match. On an expiring deal, teams wouldn’t be too opposed to adding him. Any Laker player on a one-year deal could be useful when it comes to matching money on a deal.
The biggest reason he lands on this list is Hart. Hart finished his rookie season strongly and carried it over to the Las Vegas Summer League. Hart won the MVP award and will be pushing Caldwell-Pope for minutes right out of the gate.
If Hart continues that strong play into the regular season, Caldwell-Pope could become expendable.