Larry Nance Jr., Lonzo Ball Tease Untold KCP ‘Hiring’ Story

Cleveland Cavaliers teammates Lonzo Ball and Larry Nance Jr. rewatched a little discussed chapter from theirs Los Angeles Lakers mandate, teasing the untold story that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s brief “job release” period during the 2017–18 season.. The discussion appeared on the latest episode of the Ball in the Family podcast, hosted by Lonzo and Gelo Ball.

Nance Jr. reacted immediately when the topic came up, acknowledging the unusual circumstances surrounding the Caldwell-Pope situation at the time.

“KCP is our guy. Look, KCP, we love him. We love him. That was real. That was real. That was real. It’s not my story to tell, but it’s like it was… I forgot about it, actually. I forgot about it until this second.”

Caldwell-Pope’s release agreement stemmed from a court order requiring him to serve time in a detention facility while meeting team activity requirements. The setup limited his travel, but allowed him to participate in training and home games. The situation became one of the more unexpected stories during that season for the young Lakers that included Ball and Nance Jr.

Lonzo Ball, Larry Nance Jr. they return to a rare story from the Lakers era surrounding Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The two are now reunited in Cleveland after arriving on different timelines. Nance Jr. previously played for the Cavaliers from 2018–21. before playing for the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans and Atlanta Hawks. Ball signed with Cleveland last offseason as he continues his recovery and returns to an active NBA role.

Cleveland enters midweek at 12–7 after a 110–99 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Monday night. The Cavaliers will aim to bounce back on Friday when they face the Atlanta Hawks (11–8) at 7:30 PM ET. They then return to Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Sunday to take on the Boston Celtics (9–8) at 6:00 PM ET.

Caldwell-Pope, now with Memphis Grizzliesit faces a different landscape. Memphis struggled early, falling to 6–12 following Monday’s 125–115 loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Grizzlies begin a four-game road trip on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans (3–15) at 8:00 PM ET.

The repeated comments from Ball and Nance Jr. highlight a rare and unusual episode in Caldwell-Pope’s career — one that remains a significant footnote from their time together with the Lakers.