Kentavious Caldwell-Pope released from detention center, says he's 'moving forward'

ByOhm Youngmisuk ESPN logo
Monday, January 8, 2018

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Kentavious Caldwell-Popesaid he has completed his 25-day sentence for a probation violation, stemming from his March arrest for suspicion of DUI in Michigan.

Caldwell-Pope was released on Monday from the Seal Beach Police Department Detention Center. During that time, he was allowed to practice with the Lakers and play in games in California.

Caldwell-Pope can now resume playing outside of the state after missing four road games, all losses.

"Paid my debts and all," Caldwell-Pope said after the Lakers practiced Monday. "... Everything is done. Put that behind me. moving forward, finish my season. Just happy to be home."

"Just a minor setback for me, [but there's a] lot of things I gotta change," Caldwell-Pope added. "Lotta things I gotta improve on. Had a lot of time to think about it."

Caldwell-Pope signed a one-year, $18 million deal with the Lakers last summer and averages 13.3 points and 4.9 rebounds.

He could only see his family at home games during the 25-day sentence. The ordeal appeared to take its toll on Caldwell-Pope last Friday, when he went scoreless with just one steal in 20 minutes during a 108-94 loss to the Hornets.

"It was difficult," the guard said. "My family's all I got out here. My teammates are part of my family as well. It was difficult just not to be with them and my family. It just felt like I let them down. Learning from this mistake and moving forward."

"Just to see them brightened my day, but I couldn't go home," he said of his wife and baby. "Just kind of kept me down a little bit. That was kind of hard to get through it. But now I'm through it I'm just going to put it behind me."

In other team news, free-agent forward Jamil Wilson is signing a 10-day contract with the Lakers, league sources tell ESPN. He is expected to sign and practice Wednesday and play Thursday against the Spurs.

Wilson averaged seven points and shot 43 percent from the 3-point line on a two-way contract with the Clippers this season.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski contributed to this report.

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