Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has made a seamless transition during his first five games of the season, and that wasn't more evident than during a showdown 20-point win against his former team, the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

Caldwell-Pope was one of four starters in double figures, pacing the Lakers with 13 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal during his 28 minutes on the court.

kentavious caldwell-pope, lakers
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While his shooting has been still getting under gear — shooting under 50 percent in four of his five contests, head coach Luke Walton has been more than content with his prowess at the defensive end of the ball.

“He’s been great for us. A big part of our defense is what he’s brought and we’re making some strides in that. He practices hard, has great habits and is an aggressive defender,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said, according to Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “He likes to get up into the ball and when you’re playing with so many young players, when they get to see him do it every day, they learn better and quicker from that.”

Caldwell-Pope was reeled in with a one-year, $23 million contract this summer after the Pistons rescinded his restricted free agent rights after the Avery Bradley trade. The Georgia product sought a long-term contract with the team before the Pistons pulled the trigger on swapping Marcus Morris for Bradley, instantly giving them a solution to their need at the wing.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
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“I can’t be as quiet as I was; I have to be more vocal and just stay in their ear. I have a lot of young fellas over here and I have to try to be that leader,” Caldwell-Pope said. “They look at me as their vet — and I’m only 24. Looking up to me inspires me to be that leader.”

The 24-year-old is averaging 1.4 steals per game through the young season, which should only help this new starting unit as they move forward.