Los Angeles Lakers Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Continues to Play While Serving a 25-Day Jail Sentence
This is going to sound a little strange, but guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is allowed to suit up for the Los Angeles Lakers while he's serving a 25-day jail sentence for violating his probation after a driving-under-the-influence (DUI) arrest in March while he was still a member of the Detroit Pistons.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the authorities have allowed Caldwell-Pope to practice and play in home games under a work-release program while he is serving his sentence in the Seal Beach Police Department Detention Center.
The veteran guard isn't allowed to leave the state of California, though, which is why he missed the Lakers' road games against the Cleveland Cavaliers (Dec. 14) and the Houston Rockets (Dec. 20).
He will also sit out their games against the Rockets on Dec. 31 and the Minnesota Timberwolves on Jan. 1. Caldwell-Pope is allowed to play against the Golden State Warriors in Oakland on Dec. 22 because he doesn't have to leave the state.
"With the court situation, we came up with the agreement that, I still get to carry on with my season but only in the state of California for the 25-day restriction that I have," Caldwell-Pope said last Saturday, via ESPN. "I was blessed that I am able to continue to play ball," he continued.
"It has been very disappointing to me as well, as far as my teammates, I feel like I let them down as well, my coaches, the organization. I just have to deal with this legal situation that came with it," he added.
Apparently, Caldwell-Pope has to wear a Global Positioning System (GPS) monitoring device if he leaves the detention facility, and he has to submit himself to a breath test upon returning.
Caldwell-Pope pleaded guilty to violating his probation on Dec. 13, per the Los Angeles Times.