Report: 76ers, Magic Interested In Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic are interested in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

One of the top two-way players in the NBA, Caldwell-Pope is expected to decline his 2024-25 player option with the Denver Nuggets. 

“Sources say Philadelphia and Orlando are weighing runs at Caldwell-Pope with their cap space if, as increasingly expected, he declines his $15.4 million player option with the Nuggets to enter free agency and field richer offers,” Stein wrote. “My podcast partner Chris Haynes reported Friday on his Bleacher Report live stream that Caldwell-Pope is likely to become an unrestricted free agent in a week if KCP and the Nuggets don’t come to terms on an extension before the marketplace opens next Sunday at 6 PM ET. An extension would take Denver into second-apron luxury tax territory.”

Caldwell-Pope averaged 10.1 points, 2.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 2023-24 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 Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Nuggets are concerned about losing Caldwell-Pope.

“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.