The Magic have made a big move.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is leaving the Denver Nuggets and joining the Orlando Magic on a three-year deal, according to Jeff Zillgitt.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope leaving the Denver Nuggets and headed to the Orlando Magic on a three-year deal, I’m told.
— Jeff Zillgitt (@JeffZillgitt)
Orlando returned to the playoffs last season after four years, but lost in the first round against the Cavaliers in seven games. With plenty of cap space from cheap young stars and expiring contracts like Markelle Fultz, Joe Ingles, and Gary Harris, they were ready to make moves.
Magic’s Strategic Moves:
Gary Harris, who came over from Denver in a trade for Aaron Gordon, had an expiring $13M contract. Now, Orlando has swapped him out for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope with a three-year deal worth $66M.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope intends to sign a three-year, $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Massive pickup for the rising Magic, acquiring the starting shooting guard of two NBA title teams.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania)
Fans might be excited about this new addition because it fills a clear gap in their roster. Last season, Orlando struggled with three-point shooting; they made the second-fewest threes in the league. Caldwell-Pope brings not only strong defense but also impressive outside shooting—he hit 40.6 percent from deep and made 125 threes last year.
Ingles and Harris are free agents now; they might come back on smaller deals. However, this probably means Orlando won’t be pursuing Paul George anymore—a relief for other teams chasing him like Philadelphia 76ers.
What do you think about these changes?
