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6 Players the Memphis Grizzlies Should Target After December 15th

By Christian Dudley

SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 24: Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Wayne Selden #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SACRAMENTO, CA - OCTOBER 24: Yogi Ferrell #3 of the Sacramento Kings is guarded by Wayne Selden #7 of the Memphis Grizzlies at Golden 1 Center on October 24, 2018 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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MEMPHIS, TN – DECEMBER 8: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 8, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN – DECEMBER 8: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots the ball against the Memphis Grizzlies on December 8, 2018 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

One name that made a lot of sense for the Memphis Grizzlies in July’s NBA Free-Agency period was Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. He is a strong defender with untapped potential via scoring capability. KCP could flourish if placed in the right system, and that could very well be located in Memphis, Tennessee.

Kentavious has seen an uptick in minutes with the Los Angeles Lakers in December, so it is no surprise to see their win total take a boost, too. In 21.6 minutes per contest, KCP is contributing 8.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists, and 0.8 steals on 38.3% field goal shooting (including 33.9% from deep).

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Though Caldwell-Pope’s stat line is not necessarily terrible, he is showing some of the lowest numbers of his six-season NBA career. He impacts the game more than the box score will show, but it has not exactly been a perfect match with the new-look Lakers.

When you look at Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s skill set, you feel a guarantee that he would thrive in the Memphis Grizzlies’ system. He is truly a gritty player that hustles and gets after it on defense. Much like Joakim Noah recently described, it is nice to get down and dirty and play a scrappy game of hoops as a member of the Grizzlies.

LeBron James-led teams have a knack for completing midseason transactions, so 2018-19 should be no different. They have only recently begun to produce positive results, so they may let their current group coast until February’s NBA Trade Deadline. Regardless, the expectation should be that the Lakers will listen to trade offers. This is where Memphis must make their push.

KCP’s $12 million expiring contract will be difficult for the Grizzlies to obtain solely on a financial basis. The Lakers have the salary cap space to absorb the Grizzly contracts of JaMychal Green and Garrett Temple, or even in a long shot of sorts, Chandler Parsons. The Los Angeles Lakers will surely be receiving plenty of calls over the next couple of months because of their currently low payroll.

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