The Los Angeles Lakers have their sights set on being a contender once again and showed that their determination to get there with the moves they've made in NBA free agency this summer. The team has landed LeBron James and have started to put pieces around him.
Along with officially signing Rajon Rondo on Monday, the team also announced the re-signing of guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka talked about the return of Caldwell-Pope and what he means to the team in a press release sent out by the organization.
“We are excited to bring KCP back,” said Pelinka. “He is a true ‘two-way’ player, which is very important for our team DNA. We think he will multiply his successes from last year as we move forward with roster continuity.”
Article Continues BelowCaldwell-Pope is one of a few players the Lakers have agreed to terms with this summer. Los Angeles also has agreements in place with JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson, and the aforementioned Rondo and James. The team could also swing a blockbuster trade with talk of Kawhi Leonard of the San Antonio Spurs being a rumored target of the purple and gold.
As for Caldwell-Pope, the 25-year-old is coming off a fairly solid season with the Lakers. Caldwell-Pope made a name for himself with the Detroit Pistons as a solid two-way player and left an impression in Los Angeles as well.
Last season, Caldwell-Pope played and started 74 games for the Lakers. The University of Georgia product averaged 13.4 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He also shot a career-high 38.3 percent from beyond the arc and 42.6 percent from the floor.