1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
If the Lakers make a deal prior to the 2019 NBA Trade Deadline, the likeliest player to be traded is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. KCP has earned this designation for a few reasons, one being that he has been a part of trade talks for months.
Earlier in the season when the Lakers were looking to land Trevor Ariza, Caldwell-Pope was mentioned as a player that could be on the way out. The Phoenix Suns didn’t want him, but the Houston Rockets emerged as a potential third team that would want Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope is regarded as a solid 3-and-D player, but he has struggled in both areas this season. His 3-point shooting hasn’t been consistent, and his defensive rating of 111, on Basketball-Reference, is better than only Svi Mykhailiuk and Alex Caruso.
Another reason Caldwell-Pope is the likeliest to be traded is his contract. On a one-year deal, Caldwell-Pope’s contract can be used to help facilitate a deal to make the money match.
Along with KCP, Michael Beasley, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee and Rajon Rondo would fall into this category. However, of that bunch, Caldwell-Pope seems likeliest to be moved given rumors throughout the season and the fact he would earn a raise if traded because of a trade-kicker in his contract.
That trade kicker was part of why Caldwell-Pope and his camp were pushing for a trade. In addition to the monetary reasons, Caldwell-Pope was also looking for a place he could receive more minutes.