Lakers News: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Ranked No. 74 In ESPN’s #NBARank
Lakers Executed Plan To Perfection, But Did They Miss A Bigger Opportunity?
Photo Credit: Andrew Martinez

The Los Angeles Lakers made the necessary moves this offseason to place them in prime position regarding the outlook of the franchise. Part of that plan was finding a solution to the opening at the shooting guard position, which was filled by free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

With training camp set to begin soon, Las Vegas and the media outlets have started giving predictions for the 2017-18 season. Part of this involves the player rankings they provide entering each NBA season. Performances from the prior season influence each players standing, as it provides some stock into each player entering the upcoming season.

ESPN released their updated #NBARank list on Tuesday, listing the NBA players that were ranked 50-75 on the list. The Lakers were well represented in this portion of the list, with three players showing up. First up was Caldwell-Pope, who has ranked No. 74 on the list:

Caldwell-Pope will likely be the new starting shooting guard for the Lakers, who finished last in defensive efficiency in 2016-17. Last season in Detroit, the Pistons’ defense allowed nearly seven more points per 100 possessions when Pope was on the floor than when he was off.

Caldwell-Pope was rated No. 83 on last year’s list, making his way up after a solid season with the Detroit Pistons. He averaged 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 33.2 minutes per game.

During his introductory press conference, the Lakers front office duo of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka explained just why they were so grateful to land a player of his caliber. Not only does he have an aggressive approach on offense, but also takes pride in his defense as a capable two-way player.

That will be a great influence on the young set of players on the Lakers, and a driving force behind their improved defense this season. Caldwell-Pope is set to dazzle after signing a one-year contract with the Lakers, alongside center Brook Lopez, Lonzo Ball, and Brandon Ingram.

You May Also Like

Lakers Vs. Pacers Preview: L.A. Looks For A Win Before Start Of Road Trip

The Los Angeles Lakers are coming off 127-121 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday night. The Lakers were outplayed and were down double digit points most of the night…

Lakers News: Frank Vogel Has ‘No Problem’ With Clippers Wanting Trail Blazers To Make Playoffs

The Los Angeles Lakers have been in a funk, dropping a third consecutive game with their most recent loss…

Lakers News: Kyle Kuzma Credits DeMarcus Cousins’ Poster-Worthy Highlight Result Of Playing Defense, Points To Own Tip-Dunk

When the Los Angeles Lakers boarded their charter flight on Friday it was with the expectation LeBron James would be on the court for his second game since…

Magic Johnson On Mike D’Antoni: ‘He’s Got To Be Coach Of The Year’

Mike D’Antoni is a pretty polarizing figure. He had great success as head coach of the Phoenix Suns and helped revolutionize the NBA game…