Clippers to meet with free agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
ESPN’s Chris Haynes is reporting that the Clippers will meet with free agent guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
As free agency kicks off, the Clippers have set up a meeting with Kentavious Caldwell Pope, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes. The 25-year-old shooting guard played with the Los Angeles Lakers last season and is an unrestricted free agent.
Caldwell-Pope’s planned meeting with Los Angeles is the first negotiation being reported for the franchise. NBA free agency began at 12:00 a.m. July 1st. The Clippers do not have much cap space, despite DeAndre Jordan declining to pick up his player option for next season. A deal with KCP would have to be on the cheaper side.
The Clippers looking to add Caldwell-Pope is an interesting one to say the least. Jerry West and Co. just drafted two guards with lottery picks. Adding KCP to the mix would make the log jam in the backcourt even more clogged, even after trading Austin Rivers. Unless Los Angeles has some more trades on the docket, this move certainly raises a few questions.
The benefits of bringing in Caldwell-Pope is that he plays solid defense and is a capable shooter from three. These are all qualities the front office has been prioritizing as of late. He can also reliably guard 1-3 when he is locked-in.
While the Clippers are limited in what they can do in free agency, this is definitely a curious decision. I know we are all supposed to Trust the Logo™, but it’s hard to see what value KCP would bring to this current Clippers roster. One would imagine that more trades are on the way in LA to thin out the crowded backcourt.