Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

[Archer1]

Hey All-

Random Celtics' fan checking in. I am in a 30-Team Fantasy Basketball league and own Pistons' guard KCP. I didn't get to watch much of him this season, so I wanted to get some perspective on his play from you all.

I know he was pegged as a shooter/scorer coming out of college, but it seems like his defense and defensive effort was surprisingly impressive this season. He had a tough FG% this year, but many rookies (especially guards) struggle with efficiency in their first season (or even first couple seasons).

What can you tell me about him? Strengths and weaknesses? What is his ceiling? Is he a 3&D role player or is he going to be a quality starter?

Thanks...Cheers

[Neptune]

Strengths: Defense, decent shooter at mid-range/3pter
Weakness: Needs to improve driving to the basket, needs to improve dribbling/play-making

Ceiling: Sixth man/or 3&D starter. I think at best he'll be a defensive Ben Gordon.

[JustinSane]

I think he'd kill it with a team with a well oiled offensive system like the Spurs. He plays very hard and seems to try to do the correct thing, what the coaches want him to do. As a rookie, this seemed to make him a bit passive at times. Personally I think he'll excel under SVG. He is a committed, talented defender and has excellent shooting form and moves well off the ball. Handle is suspect and isn't someone you want creating his own shot, but is potentially one of the very best 3 and D players in the league.

[Archer1]

So is he like a young version of Danny Green?

[King Bugs]

I can't imagine what FA would look like in a 30 team fantasy league, and I still believe you should probably consider dropping KCP. Good chance he won't start, see consistent minutes, or even be here next year (if FO start a trade bonanza).

If he's still here, maybe he'll have a sophomore breakout, but it's likely Detroit will upgrade the wings this summer and he'll end up getting buried on the bench.

[ImHeisenberg]

So is he like a young version of Danny Green?

Going off our limited single season sample size- he's currently a more tenacious defender than Green. Seriously, he was usually the only player busting his ass on defense on every play.

But, Green is definitely the better shooter as of right now, disregarding respect towards context and system. He could have a breakout year under SVG, as Van Gundy is almost guaranteed to give him big minutes with Stuckey gone and no first round pick to challenge him for the starter role.

I'd hang on to him. He's a low risk, high reward player.

[HotelVitale]

I'd hang on to him. He's a low risk, high reward player.

I agree but I don't think anyone should expect 'high reward' anytime soon. Barring a major roster overhaul, he can play meaningful minutes and give you some useful numbers if he's shooting decently. Ideally he gives you numbers like Raja Bell used to on the Suns-- 13/5, with 1+ steals and 1.5 3s. That's probably pretty useful in a 30 team league.

It's very possible he's not ready yet next season, but he will have opportunities since our wing depth will basically be him, some free agent, and Singler. As long as he's shooting 40%+ and 30%+ from three, he'll have good chance at 28-35 minutes per night.

[aad]

People is sleeping on kcp just go look at the thunder game the kid can really play playing under cheeks and loyer he only camped out in the coner he deferred to the other players he gonna shut alot of people up next season

[dan2314]

I don't mind the Danny Green comparison. I think he has a lot of potential to follow a path like Klay Thompson and Bradley Beal have. I like him that much. (Klay's my favourite player in the league) In the way that it took him a year to really find a way to consistently get the ball in the net, and then dominated summer league in year 2 and took off from there. KCP is slightly different in the way that his jumpshot isn't quite as pure and Klay and Beals, but he hustles a LOT more defensively and is more athletic at this point in their careers. and like Klay, Pope can use his size to be very good on that end.

Like both Thompson and Beal, finishing at the rim early on is one of the biggest obstacles for them to overcome. Being a little more athletic should hopefully help with that, and i still remember his summer league games where the first few games he tried to, and failed mostly, to absolutely murder the rim with some enormous dunk attempts, sometimes over a defender or two. His confidence dropped off a fair bit with the coaches trying to reel him in to be a more conservative player, but the kid can get up, and when he gets to be a little more aggressive, i have good hope he can be pretty effective at the rim.

[ImHeisenberg]

i still remember his summer league games where the first few games he tried to, and failed mostly, to absolutely murder the rim with some enormous dunk attempts, sometimes over a defender or two. His confidence dropped off a fair bit with the coaches trying to reel him in to be a more conservative player, but the kid can get up, and when he gets to be a little more aggressive, i have good hope he can be pretty effective at the rim.

He still attacked quite a bit early in the regular season, when a lane opened up. Unfortunately for him, rookies don't get many calls, and he just got stuffed at the rim. Nothing on him- every rookie goes through this. Hopefully SVG will encourage that intensity next season.

[aad]

If hes not our starting sg next season im gonna be pissed

[ComboGuardCity]

He's more Kwahi than Green


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[DBC10]

He's more Kwahi than Green


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This. The guy doesn't talk and always has his poker face on giving you max effort.

[theBigLip]

I'm a bit more optimistic than most. He had a few breakout games where you could see he can be a scorer. And he plays reasonable D. This is all from a rookie that was playing on a rather dysfunctional team last year. I think the "team" will be better, and KCP will be lifted up with everyone else.

That being said, SVG knows we need shooters, and has to be looking at Jennings and Smith as potential trade candidates. They might need to throw KCP into a deal to get rid of one of those two, or even if he's not, we certainly have the potential to get 1 (or more) wing shooter this offseason to address one of our biggest weaknesses. What if we did a trade and FA signing like OJ Mayo and Ariza? That is not unrealistic and would destroy KCPs minutes. So if he's on your fantasy team, he is a risk with good potential. Good luck.

[aad]

Signing wing shooters will not affect kcp we need a backup sg and a starting sf kcp will start at sg and if monroe resign smith will come off the bench if u can read between the lines from what svg been saying

[Warspite]

30 teams?

I played 16 teams last yr and the waiver wire was crap. I cant imagine 30 teams. I really like KCP and think he will be a quality starter eventually but I think a 20% increase in numbers is his max for next yr.

[wallace72]

He's more Kwahi than Green


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He's more a Danny Green version with Leonards mentality..........

[Notanoob]

Since he's the only SG on the roster (Chauncey is almost certainly gone and can't play many minutes anyways), he should accumulate stats at least by accident. Hope if high that SVG will put him in a position to succeed (run him off screens, let him shoot off one or two dribbles like he's comfortable). He had a great final game of the season, scoring like a mad man, and it shows what he can do.

Most of his value is on the other end of the floor though. KCP was our best perimeter defender over the course of the season and always put forth great effort despite being frozen out of the offense.

I think that his ceiling is something like a rich-man's Rip Hamilton. He won't create his own shot a lot, but he can shoot, and his defense will be better than Rip's ever was.

[paQo the BAWSER]

I think if he reaches his full potential, he could be an hybrid between Rip Hamilton, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. But if he just get a little better he could be a Courtney Lee/Danny Green type of player, who is a very useful SG on a good team.

[Laimbeer]

Disappointing rookie season. It's too early to give up on him, but I'm less optimistic than the day he was drafted.