20/20 vision: The Lakers in the 2020 AD Era
Posted: Tue Aug 27, 2019 1:10 pm
Ok, corny topic title but it fits. Aside from gameday posts, this wil be the new "Lakers Discussion Thread" heading into this season. Facts, truths, analysis, opinions and of course discussion. First up: KCP and his relative worth to Vogel and the team . . .
Next season, the Los Angeles Lakers will have six returning players on their roster, the fewest number of returning players they’ve had since the 2015-16 season. Of those six players, only two of them have at least two years of experience with the team: Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
While Kuzma will enter the season on the third year of his rookie contract, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be playing on his third one-year deal in three years. Unlike previous years, though, Caldwell-Pope will have a player option worth $8.4 million at the end of next season. In total, he’s accumulated $37.8 million in guaranteed money with the Lakers - a far cry from the rumored 5-year $80 million deal the Detroit Pistons were offering. Is playing for a shot at a ring alongside LeBron, Unibrow, Dwight, D. Green and Kuzma worth millions?
Caldwell-Pope has shown flashes of being the prototypical 3-and-D wings so many teams covet in today’s NBA, but he hasn’t been able to do it on a consistent basis. After seemingly turning a corner in his first season with the Lakers, Caldwell-Pope’s 3-point percentage went from 38.4% to 34.7%, and his defensive rating dropped from 108 to 112.Outside of Danny Green and Alex Caruso, the Lakers don’t have many serviceable defensive guards on their roster. In fact, with the exception of Green and Caruso, every one of their guards posted a negative defensive real plus-minus, according to ESPN.
At 26 years old, Caldwell-Pope probably could have played starters minutes on a lowly team like the Charlotte Hornets or Memphis Grizzlies next season, but with the Lakers, he’ll get the chance to show his value on a contending team, which is more likely to get him paid in 2020 than putting up inflated numbers on a bad roster.
Next season, the Los Angeles Lakers will have six returning players on their roster, the fewest number of returning players they’ve had since the 2015-16 season. Of those six players, only two of them have at least two years of experience with the team: Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
While Kuzma will enter the season on the third year of his rookie contract, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be playing on his third one-year deal in three years. Unlike previous years, though, Caldwell-Pope will have a player option worth $8.4 million at the end of next season. In total, he’s accumulated $37.8 million in guaranteed money with the Lakers - a far cry from the rumored 5-year $80 million deal the Detroit Pistons were offering. Is playing for a shot at a ring alongside LeBron, Unibrow, Dwight, D. Green and Kuzma worth millions?
Caldwell-Pope has shown flashes of being the prototypical 3-and-D wings so many teams covet in today’s NBA, but he hasn’t been able to do it on a consistent basis. After seemingly turning a corner in his first season with the Lakers, Caldwell-Pope’s 3-point percentage went from 38.4% to 34.7%, and his defensive rating dropped from 108 to 112.Outside of Danny Green and Alex Caruso, the Lakers don’t have many serviceable defensive guards on their roster. In fact, with the exception of Green and Caruso, every one of their guards posted a negative defensive real plus-minus, according to ESPN.
At 26 years old, Caldwell-Pope probably could have played starters minutes on a lowly team like the Charlotte Hornets or Memphis Grizzlies next season, but with the Lakers, he’ll get the chance to show his value on a contending team, which is more likely to get him paid in 2020 than putting up inflated numbers on a bad roster.