Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons why Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can help team

(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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(Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)
(Photo by Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images)

3. His size

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds. That makes him a somewhat above-average sized guard.

OK, so he’s not as big as, say, Ben Simmons. But at least he’s not as small as Steph Curry, who despite his absolute brilliance on offense, couldn’t guard a statue at Golden Gate Park simply because he’s too short and slight of frame to do so effectively.

This size helps at both ends of the floor. It helps him get off his shot and get a good enough look to knock it down, it helps him finish strong at the rim, and it helps him play decent defense.

Another aspect of KCP’s size that gets overlooked is that he has a wingspan of 6-foot-8. Like his 3-point shooting, defense and height, it may not be elite, but it’s pretty solid at the very least.

For reference, his new teammate Danny Green, one of the better wing defenders in the league who is an inch taller than KCP, has a wingspan of 6-foot-10. Jerry West, who according to those who saw him play was a terror on the defensive end, had a wingspan of 6-foot-9.

According to a recent USA Today article, the average man has a wingspan about two inches more than his height, which makes KCP slightly above average in that category.

For a role player who will be asked to come off the bench and play a somewhat lesser role than in the past, that’s nothing to complain about.