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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 most underappreciated players on the roster

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 27: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 27, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty aImages License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - DECEMBER 27: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers while playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at Staples Center on December 27, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty aImages License Agreement. (Photo by John McCoy/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is the longest-tenured player on the Los Angeles Lakers and he is one of the most underappreciated, even by Laker fans. While most fans have since turned the corner on KCP, there was a long time there that KCP was getting clowned by his own fanbase and everyone wanted to see him get traded.

Meanwhile, KCP has quietly become one of the most consistent wing role players in the league. His defense can be shoddy at times and he has had his moments where he is cold from three, but he really showed up to ball in the NBA Playoffs and has carried that over into a phenomenal start this season.

We are not going to use an eight-game sample size to try and sell KCP as the best three-point shooter in the league but goodness gracious has he been locked in. KCP has made 15 of his 28 threes (53.6%) and has an eFG% of .657.

KCP has the second-best three-point percentage with at least 25 attempts this season, only behind Seth Curry and has the 15th best eFG% with at least 50 shots. He ranks fifth among guards.

The Lakers may have overpaid KCP during his four years with the team but the reason why they overpay him to keep him around is that he keeps producing. Only 29 players in the entire league have taken at least 1,000 threes since KCP became a Laker at a 37% clip. He is one of them. He ranks 34th in the league in eFG% among players to take at least 2,000 shots since then.

So he has been a top 30-35 shooter/scorer over the last three-plus seasons. Very few people around the league would regard him as such.

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