Caldwell-Pope Suspended For Start Of Season For OWI
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
The Pistons will be without arguably their best player to start the 2017-18 season.
Guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was suspended by the NBA on Friday for the first two games of the season after being arrested for operating while intoxicated in March. He will not receive pay during his suspension.
Caldwell-Pope, 24, was pulled over on Auburn Rd. near Squirrel just before 3 a.m. on March 29. Police said he was going about 45 mph in a 25 mph zone and smelled alcohol on his breath.
In dash cam video of the traffic stop, a cop can be heard asking Caldwell-Pope how many drinks he had that night, to which he replied "just two and a water."
He was transported to the Auburn Hills Police Station and given a breathalyzer test with the results showing a blood alcohol level of .08, which is exactly the legal threshold for drunken driving in Michigan.
"Mr. Pope was asked to complete several field sobriety tests. Based upon the tests there were indications of impairment and Mr. Pope was placed under arrest for Operating While Intoxicated," police said in a press release.
Coming off a season in which he averaged 13.8 points and shot a career-high 35 percent from three-point range, Caldwell-Pope is in line to cash in as a restricted free agent. The Pistons are likely to match any deal he receives via an offer sheet from another team.