Cleveland Cavaliers teammates Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr. revisited a little-discussed chapter from their Los Angeles Lakers tenure, teasing an untold story involving Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s brief “work release” period during the 2017–18 season. The discussion surfaced on the latest episode of the Ball in the Family Podcast, hosted by Lonzo and Gelo Ball.
Nance Jr. reacted immediately when the subject came up, acknowledging the unusual circumstances surrounding Caldwell-Pope’s situation at the time.
“KCP is our guy. Look, KCP, we love him. We love him. That was real. That was real. That was real. That ain't my story to tell, but like it was … I forgot about that, actually. I forgot about that until this very second.”
Caldwell-Pope’s work-release arrangement stemmed from a court order requiring him to serve a stretch in a detention facility while remaining eligible for team activities. The setup limited his travel but allowed him to participate in practices and home games. The situation became one of the more unexpected storylines during that season for a young Lakers roster that included Ball and Nance Jr.
Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr. revisit a rare Lakers-era storyline tied to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
The two are now reunited in Cleveland after arriving on separate timelines. Nance Jr. previously played for the Cavaliers from 2018–21 before stints with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks. Ball signed with Cleveland this past offseason as he continues his recovery and transition back into an active NBA role.
Cleveland enters midweek at 12–7 after a 110–99 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. The Cavaliers will aim to rebound Friday when they face the Atlanta Hawks (11–8) at 7:30 p.m. ET. They then return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday for a matchup with the Boston Celtics (9–8) at 6:00 p.m. ET.
Caldwell-Pope, now with the Memphis Grizzlies, faces a different landscape. Memphis has struggled early, falling to 6–12 following Monday’s 125–115 loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Grizzlies begin a four-game road trip Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans (3–15) at 8:00 p.m. ET.
The resurfaced comments from Ball and Nance Jr. highlight a rare and unusual episode in Caldwell-Pope’s career — one that remains a notable footnote from their shared time with the Lakers.
