1. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Earlier in the piece, it was mentioned that the Los Angeles Lakers don’t have a player that brings the same skillset to the table that Avery Bradley does. However, the player that may be closest to Bradley is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Many Lakers fans are tired of Caldwell-Pope wearing the purple and gold. If given the chance, plenty of them would ship him out of town the first chance they got. Unfortunately, that seems unlikely at this point given his representation and a no-trade clause. So, if he wants to get back into the good graces of the fans and team, stepping up with Bradley sidelined would be a good start.
Caldwell-Pope has started both games that Bradley has been sidelined for, so Frank Vogel has confidence in him to get the job done. Just as his first two seasons in purple and gold have gone, this season Caldwell-Pope has been maddeningly inconsistent. However, in helping to replace Bradley, KCP has to focus on two things; defense and 3-point shooting, arguably his two best skills.
Caldwell-Pope will have a golden opportunity to get his season on track by helping pick up the slack without Bradley in the lineup. If KCP does not take advantage of this chance, he may not find many more opportunities at playing time upon Bradley’s return.