Don’t worry, Lakers fans: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope looks like he’s having a bad season, but he’s actually just the same old KCP that he always has been (which has never been all that great), only getting fewer minutes. So there’s no reason to be upset at him for demanding a trade. He just wants more minutes to continue being the same player he always has been.
I don’t know if he “demanded” a trade or just “kinda wants to be traded”, but it is a little strange to not want to be on a team with LeBron James on it. I guess this year is different than past years in that being on a team with LeBron James on it is not a guaranteed Finals appearance. And some dudes would really rather have big minutes than anything else. Which makes sense. When you train as hard as KCP obviously did, wouldn’t you want as big a role as you could get to make it all worthwhile? No one trains their whole life so they can sit on the bench and watch their teammates having fun on the court.
Anyone watching this game had to be stunned by what KCP was doing. He scored 20 points in the first half, already a season high, and added a few more later. An unexpected scoring display that can most easily be explained by the idea that the Lakers were showcasing him for a trade. Before they complete any potential deal, though, they should confirm with the other team that who they’re getting is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, not Pope Francis.
Yeah, that joke sounded better in my head.