Nuggets Reportedly Concerned About Losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

According to NBA insider Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Denver Nuggets are concerned about losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Caldwell-Pope can become an unrestricted free agent this offseason by declining his 2024-25 player option. 

“Heading into free agency, there’s also concern that guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope could decline his $15.44 million player option, enter unrestricted free agency, and land a potential short-term offer for a higher salary annually comparable to Bruce Brown’s previous two-year, $45 million deal with Indiana,” Scotto wrote. 

Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 76 games for the Nuggets this season while shooting 46.0% from the floor, 40.6% from 3 and 89.4% from the foul line. 

The Nuggets, who won the 2023 championship against the Miami Heat in five games, lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of this year’s playoffs in seven games. 

Caldwell-Pope has played for the Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards and Nuggets. He holds career averages of 11.4 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists.

KCP is a two-time NBA champion. He won the 2020 title with the Lakers at the Walt Disney World bubble versus the Heat in six games. 

According to NBA insider Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Philadelphia 76ers could pursue Caldwell-Pope this offseason. Fischer also linked Golden State Warriors veteran Klay Thompson to the Sixers. 

“The Sixers, sources said, took note of Indiana’s two-year splurge for Bruce Brown that then became the biggest salary headed back to Toronto in exchange for Pascal Siakam,” Fischer wrote. “Veteran wings like Klay Thompson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope would fall on the Sixers’ list of targets for similar one-plus-one contracts, sources said.”

It will be fascinating to see if the Nuggets can keep Caldwell-Pope, one of the top two-way players in the NBA. Denver is 105-47 when KCP plays.