Lakers Rumors: Trade talk not bothering Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Recent Los Angeles Lakers rumors involve Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is not letting trade chatter get to him.

Los Angeles Lakers rumors have been prevalent in recent weeks. With the New Orleans Pelicans visiting this past week, Anthony Davis rumors picked up once again, especially after it was rumored that he was out to dinner with LeBron James.

Until Davis signs the most lucrative contract in the history of the NBA with the Pelicans, if he so chooses to do, there will be plenty of rumors involving him. Another reason for the uptick in Lakers rumors recently is that free agents are now able to be traded.

Dec. 15 was an important date for the NBA. Once that day came, players who signed free agent contracts were eligible to be traded. The Lakers have numerous players that fall under that category and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has been among the names thrown around the most often.

When the Lakers were looking to land Trevor Ariza from the Phoenix Suns, Caldwell-Pope was the first name mentioned as a player that could be on the move. It was rumored that the Lakers offered KCP and a first round pick for Ariza, which the Suns declined.

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A three-team deal was then floated as a possibility to land Aiza, as the Suns were looking for a playmaking guard and draft assets in returns. Unwilling to meet those demands, a third team would have been needed, and the Houston Rockets emerged as a potential suitor.

It was tough to keep track of all of the swirling rumors. It was also revealed that it was Caldwell-Pope’s camp pushing for a deal, looking to get him to a team that he would receive more playing time and opportunities on.

Despite his name being mentioned so often, Caldwell-Pope isn’t letting it get to him. He is remaining focused on the task at hand, which is winning games with the Lakers and players currently on the roster.

"“No. I’m just focused on [teammates]. I’m playing here now,” Caldwell-Pope said following the Lakers’ 108-105 victory over the Miami Heat. He finished with 11 points in the victory, hitting three shots from beyond the arc."

Caldwell-Pope has taken a step back from his career season in 2017-18, but he is still playing well and is arguably the team’s best trade asset outside the young core.

Caldwell-Pope has turned things around with his shooting, as he is knocking down 38.5 percent of his 3-pointers in December. That is up from 22.2 in October and 34.9 in November. Caldwell-Pope is certainly trending in the right direction, so Los Angeles should have no trouble finding a taker for him.

Contending teams looking for help on the wing should look into acquiring Caldwell-Pope. His 3-pointing shooting and versatility on defense would help out a number of teams.