Should the Lakers give Kentavious Caldwell-Pope a high-priced contract?

Should the Los Angeles Lakers’ front office sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a high priced long-term contract?

The Los Angeles Lakers won the NBA Championship on October 12, 2020. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope soaked up his first title for precisely four days before it was reported on the 16th that he’ll decline his player option and explore the market.

There is shared interest between the Lakers’ front office and Caldwell-Pope, but other organizations looking to bring in a veteran wing could also be intrigued by KCP’s playoff performance.

KCP was due $8.5 million next season, and he opted out of cashing in that money about as fast as a player can after stuffing their first chip in their pocket. We can surmise that the Georgia product is looking to leverage his decent postseason contributions as the Lakers de facto starting point guard into a hefty 2021 pay raise.

The question is: Should the Lakers give Kentavious Caldwell-Pope the type of deal he’s after? Something like a three-year, $45-million-dollar agreement?

Next, we’ll dive in and see if KCP is worth the type of contract he almost certainly feels he deserves.