Former Lakers Champion Will be the X-Factor for Memphis Grizzlies

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope remains on the team, and it seems like he will. They believe he can be a great fit alongside the star duo of Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., while providing the championship experience that they've been missing.

Caldwell-Pope is coming off a down year with the Orlando Magic, averaging just 8.7 PPG while shooting just 34.2% from three, his worst shooting season since his third year in the NBA. But Memphis is firm in its belief that he'll be able to bounce back.

How Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Can Best Impact Grizzlies

Caldwell-Pope was an instrumental part of two different championship teams: the 2020 Los Angeles Lakers and the 2023 Denver Nuggets. On both of those teams, he was able to play strong perimeter defense and hit open threes off the playmaking of LeBron James and Nikola Jokic. Orlando didn't have that same playmaking.

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are great young players and will be consistent threats for the next decade, but they're still growing as playmakers. That limited Caldwell-Pope's opportunities as a catch-and-shoot threat. Those should open up with the lightning-in-a-bottle effect that is Ja Morant.

As great as Desmond Bane is as a secondary scorer, his defensive efficiencies set the team back at times. That will change with Caldwell-Pope, who is still a great on-ball perimeter defender. Memphis will undoubtedly miss Bane's shot creation and elite three-point shooting, but Caldwell-Pope shot at least 38.5% from three in the five seasons before last year, including three above 40%.

Assuming Caldwell-Pope bounces back to form from three, he should fill a much-needed void within the Grizzlies. However, if things go south, young wings Jaylen Wells and Cedric Coward could slot in to fill the gaps.