Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is now a two-time champion and has been a key contributor on multiple NBA teams at this point in his career. Despite this, KCP recently shared how he truly felt when he was dealt from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Washington Wizards. This of course was part of the infamous Russell Westbrook trade which history will be seen as one of the biggest let-downs in NBA history. Caldwell-Pope recently told Sam Amick of the Athletic about the trade.
“When (the Lakers trade) happened, I was a little hurt, no doubt about that,” Caldwell-Pope said. “But I had to move on. I thought I was gonna be there (with the Lakers) for a while, especially after the championship. But it didn’t go that way. I felt like at the end of the day, business is business. “I got a call from my good friend Brad (Beal, the day before the trade went down), and he just asked me how I would feel about playing with him. I’d (known) him since we were 15, and that’s one thing we always talked about was playing with each other. And then the next morning, it happened.”
Things clearly still worked out for the three and D wing player as he eventually made his way to Denver and won a second ring to add to his resume.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Admits to “Being Hurt,” From Trade
KCP’s Career
KCP has carved out a nice career for himself. He has been an ideal three and D option everywhere he has been throughout his career. Caldwell-Pope possesses career averages of 11.5 points, 1.1 steals, and a three-point shooting percentage of 36.5 percent. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has come a long way in terms of his perimeter shooter.
Back in his Detroit days, he only shot 33.4 percent from beyond the arc. KCP’s three-point shooting took a jump once he arrived in Los Angeles. During his four-year stint with the Lakers, he was a terrific three and D player shooting 37.8 percent from deep and tallying a defensive rating of 110. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has gone through his fair share of ups and downs throughout his career, but he has now solidified himself as a quality role player.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Was Exactly What the Doctor Ordered for Denver
KCP was exactly what the Denver Nuggets needed for their championship run. As alluded to already, he was a true three and D player who could use his length and size to help defensively on the perimeter. Not to mention, he feasted on three-point opportunities catching passes from Nikola Jokic. He tallied 10.8 points and a three-point shooting percentage of 42.3 percent during Denver’s title run. When it is all said and done, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will be remembered as a key contributor on both of the championship teams he was on throughout his career.
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