The Los Angeles Lakers traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the disastrous Russell Westbrook deal, but the wing looks like a massive bust for the rival Grizzlies. He played a key role on the Lakers' 2020 title team, but Rob Pelinka dealt him for a third star that never stood out in Los Angeles. The two-time NBA champion is clearly in decline now.
It has been a rough start in Memphis. Ja Morant’s effort has been questionable, and the trade rumors are already swirling. The Grizzlies are under .500 after trading Desmond Bane to Orlando. Caldwell-Pope was a key piece of the return. Memphis has been looking for a 3-and-D wing for years, but this isn’t the crucial option Lakers fans remember from the bubble title team.
For the second year in a row, KCP is struggling to make shots, and his defense has slipped. There has been some playmaking growth, which is much needed with multiple guards injured in Memphis. Still, it has not been enough to make up for the decline elsewhere.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is already looking like a bust with the Grizzlies
The 6’5 wing is starting in Memphis and averaging 9.2 points, 3.4 assists, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 24.7 minutes per game. Those counting stats are better than his numbers from the Lakers' title season, but the efficiency has dipped significantly. KCP is shooting just 33.7 percent from the field and 33.3 percent on his 3-point attempts for a 41.6 effective field goal percentage.
The results are even more problematic when fans dive in further. Caldwell-Pope has produced a negative-0.1 value over replacement player (VORP), and the Grizzlies have a negative-6.0 net rating with the veteran win on the floor. They are 4.3 points per 100 possessions worse when he plays, and KCP sits 176th of 196 qualified players in win shares per 48 minutes.
His 24.7 minutes per game are his lowest since his rookie season. This is the second straight year of decline. The career 36.6 percent 3-point shooter sits at just 34.1 percent over his last 87 games. With the defense also slipping, Caldwell-Pope looks like a bust on a Grizzlies team with playoff dreams.
KCP got the full experience with Lakers fans, but they will never forget his contributions to the 2020 title. Los Angeles doesn’t secure that bubble ring without him. He made open shots and played stout defense. It was exactly what the Lakers needed next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The franchise struggled to replace him for years after the 2021 trade.
They do not want this version of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The Grizzlies are already starting to give talented rookie Cedric Coward more minutes on the wing. He is the future in Memphis, and the Grizz may struggle to trade KCP with his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season looming.
Expecting the 32-year-old to suddenly bounce back seems foolish. The Nuggets' decision to dump Caldwell-Pope in the 2024 offseason keeps looking smarter as the decline has been clear since leaving the Mile High City. The Los Angeles Lakers made a bad move dumping him, but they don’t want him back. This is the Grizzlies' problem now.