3. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
When Avery Bradley went down with his hairline fracture, Los Angeles Lakers fans let out a collective groan as it meant Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would be inserted into the starting lineup. Caldwell-Pope started the season off on the wrong foot, as fans wanted to see him not only removed from the rotation but sent packing to another team.
Well, it is a good thing that fans don’t make those kinds of decisions, but KCP has been a revelation since being inserted into the starting lineup. In seven games as a starter, Caldwell-Pope is averaging 13.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game.
It is the scoring numbers that have garnered people’s attention. KCP is shooting an eye-popping 58.9 percent from the field and a scorching 60.7 percent from the 3-point line, averaging 2.4 makes per game.
While those shooting numbers are unlikely to be sustained throughout the entire season, it is encouraging to see that Caldwell-Pope has gotten things on track. His floor spacing helps the Lakers’ offense flow smoothly as opponents cannot afford to double off him as he is on fire shooting the ball.
His shooting will be important in what will be a fast-paced game against the Pelicans. But, his defense could be even more important as he will be tasked with slowing down Jrue Holiday or Lonzo Ball if he can suit up.