The dollars and sense behind Lakers’ attempt to re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Both the Lakers and free-agent Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who opted out of the final year of his contract, have interest in the veteran guard re-signing with the team.
No guarantee it gets done for a few reasons.
First, the New York Knicks also have interest in Caldwell-Pope, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Second, Caldwell-Pope is looking for a raise from the original deal that would have paid him $8.4 million next season.
Finally, after the Lakers agreed to give free-agent center Montrezl Harrell the full midlevel exception and free-agent guard Wesley Matthews the biannual exception when free agency opened Friday afternoon, they are limited in how much they can offer Caldwell-Pope.
The most the Lakers can offer Caldwell-Pope is about $12 million per season, but that could increase if they trade one of their players to a team with salary-cap space and don’t receive a player back.
According to Larry Coon, considered an expert on the NBA collective bargaining agreement, the Lakers can’t go above the hard salary cap of about $136.6 million, and that prohibits the Lakers from offering Caldwell-Pope more than $12 million despite holding his Larry Bird Rights.
Former Lakers guard Avery Bradley agrees to join the Miami Heat. Gordon Hayward is heading to Charlotte and Fred VanVleet will re-sign with Toronto.
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