Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with Memphis and intends to reunite with former Lakers teammate LeBron James by signing with the 76ers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope appears set to follow LeBron James to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
Position SG
Age 33
Height 196 cm
Weight 93 kg
Birth place United States of America
The Memphis Grizzlies and Caldwell-Pope are negotiating a contract buyout, and the veteran 3-and-D specialist intends to sign with Philadelphia once the process is completed, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes.
Caldwell-Pope previously spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers, including three alongside James, and helped the franchise capture the 2020 NBA championship.
Caldwell-Pope targets reunion with LeBron
Philadelphia plans to add one or two more bench pieces on veteran-minimum contracts after landing James, and Caldwell-Pope fits the profile of an experienced, low-usage contributor who can complement the team’s stars.
The 33-year-old can defend opposing perimeter players, operate without requiring frequent touches, and provide floor spacing around James and the rest of Philadelphia's core.
He would also give the 76ers another proven postseason performer. Caldwell-Pope has won two NBA championships, first alongside James with the Lakers in 2020 and then as a starter with the Denver Nuggets in 2023.
The move cannot be completed until Caldwell-Pope and Memphis finalize their buyout.
Credit AFP - Scanpix
Veteran coming off injury-shortened season
Caldwell-Pope appeared in 51 games for Memphis last season, making 14 starts.
He averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals in 21.3 minutes per game while shooting 41.0% from the field and 31.6% from three-point range.
His campaign ended prematurely after he underwent surgery on his right pinky finger in February, causing him to miss the final 29 games of the season.
Caldwell-Pope exercised his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 campaign earlier in the offseason.
From lottery pick to two-time NBA champion
The Detroit Pistons selected Caldwell-Pope with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft following his college career at Georgia.
He spent his first four seasons in Detroit before signing with the Lakers in 2017. Caldwell-Pope became an important part of Los Angeles' rotation and started all 21 playoff games during the team's 2020 championship run.
He was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2021 before joining Denver one year later. Caldwell-Pope started throughout the Nuggets' 2023 title run, earning his second championship in four seasons.
After two years in Denver, he signed a three-year, $66 million contract with the Orlando Magic in 2024. Orlando later traded him to Memphis in the deal that sent Desmond Bane to the Magic.
Across 13 NBA seasons, Caldwell-Pope has averaged 11.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while making 36.5% of his three-point attempts.
[
Subscribe to BN+ and get access to exclusive content.](https://basketnews.com/plus?utm_source=basketnews_com&utm_medium=bn_plus&utm_id=UA-259273-31&utm_campaign=banners_free_content_for_not_members_bottom_2)
If you like our content, please and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.