Los Angles Lakers Shooting Guard and former Georgia basketball standout Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is expected to have several options in NBA free agency. With Anthony Davis headed to L.A. in a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Lakers are the talk of the NBA coming into free agency. LeBron James and Anthonty Davis are a formidable duo, but the rest of the Lakers roster still has to be rounded out. With a max salary slot, the Lakers can afford to pay the best free agents or fill their roster with much needed depth.
Caldwell-Pope will have to decide if he want to come back to Los Angeles. His return will depend on other players like Kawhi Leonard, who would be prioritized well above KCP. The most feasible scenario where KCP returns to the Lakers is if he accepts a discount on his services. In L.A., Caldwell-Pope could compete for a championship for the first time in his career.
Should the Lakers sign player like D’Angelo Russell to a big contract, KCP’s options will be: stay in Los Angeles for less money, go to another contender like the Golden State Warriors or Portland Blazers, or take a larger contract for a bigger role on a lottery-bound team.
Based on his two previous free agency decisions, expect Caldwell-Pope to value flexibility and take a short-term deal.
