BREAKING: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is signing with the Magic on a 3-year deal – Woj | ESPN SC

BREAKING: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is signing with the Magic on a 3-year deal – Woj | ESPN SC

the magic and guard kentavius Caldwell Pope have agreed to a three-year $66 million deal the three and D Man averaged 10 points a game and shot 41% from three last season key player to Denver winning the NBA title in 2023 which is actually his second title one with the Lakers in 2020 moves on to an upand cominging Orlando Squad led by Pao benero Orlando took Cleveland of seven games for Bowing out in the first round this past playoffs all right back here in studio with CBS Sports basketball analyst Chris Walker kcp remember him with the Lakers your squad in 2020 what do you like about this move going to Orlando for kcp or do you not like the move I I actually do like the move uh I think kcp will add some uh added shooting I think they need Gary Harris was a good player and Mar folz was a good player had his had his time but I think that stability you got two young budding Superstars and France Vagner and Paulo benero and I just believe that adding this piece a winner as you mentioned before uh to the roster will be helpful to this squad is then they made the playoffs last year they were exciting I actually thought that they would make give a Boston a better run than the Cavs did obviously when Mitchell getting hurt but they couldn’t win on the road and I think adding kcp another piece to it may be helpful yes nice uh nice piece here for Orlando so he leaves Denver they were already preparing for him to leave in free agency they weren’t going to give him this contract again three years $66 million according to multiple reports so where does that leave Denver now without kcp because he was a key piece on that Championship Squad yeah he certainly is and Denver is just an anomaly to me right now they L they lose Bruce Bowen you know Bruce Brown I’m sorry and now they lose kcp and and and Reggie Jackson’s gone so you got to ask yourself you know after the collapse of you know not being able to repeat uh for the championship last year what is the Denver Nuggets thinking right now with joic and and again he’s playing he’s at his prime right now he’s the MVP they got to get some other pieces in there and they got to do it quickly you know we talked earlier about teams not changing players not changing teams and how can you feel that roster again they’re going to be I want to say in the trash looking around but they got to get some some some primary pieces uh to put it put themselves in a position to continue uh to be contenders even also they’re talking about maybe losing Michael Porter Jr like it’s going to be tough for the Nuggets they can’t continue to move they haven’t done it in the draft it’s you know it’s pretty hard to move up in the draft uh with the young players and again through free agency and obviously to talk about Russell Westbrook what I don’t see but given what happened with kcp they’re going to need some bodies and some experienced bodies to try to do it a different way yeah as you mentioned there per multiple reports the Clippers trying to find a trade partner uh for Russell Westbrook with Denver a possible destination uh that’s what we’re hearing would that make sense Russell Westbrook to Denver I don’t think it makes sense given the fact that what kind of player yage is but a slasher a cutter having another Alpha Dog defense L I think Denver I mean Denver could use him in that respect if you willing if he’s willing to play that role obviously some other guys are going to have to be elevated you know like a think of a kid like Christian Brown is going to have to be elevated possibly a starting role and become a better player if you’re going to bring Russell Westbrook Off the Bench the the other thing is it comes down to you just need another as I say alpha male out there right when joic sits or uh uh you know you got you got some other guys on the team doal Jamal Murray and Russell Wester could they play together absolutely you know they’re different players and at the point I was getting rank with with Gordon and and if you know if you don’t lose Michael Porter Jr you still have Murray and you bring Russell Westbrook again still an experienced player that could give you something Reggie Jackson came in and gave you something it’s just a question of what they want from Russell rushbrook and what he’s able to do at this juncture in his career listen still a big time athlete still has an imprint on the game you know that meanness that ruggedness and maybe that’s what Denver thinks they need but I would counter and say kcp was a huge piece and so is Bruce Brown and they got Hamilton who was knocking down threes as well so again it takes a it’s a hod podge of things to make things work Mike Malone knows what he’s doing the question is I guess you this when you I’ll say this when you have the best player in the league that’s a great a great place to start and the guy Laker killer you know with Murray he kills my Lakers all the time that’s another great place to start and then you can build around those pieces well the Nuggets do in fact lose kcp in free agency three years $66 million heading to the Orlando Magic when news breaks here in NBA free agency we’re going to have it for you as you take a look at kcps numbers by the franchise he’s played for uh this past couple Seasons with the Nuggets averaged 10 points per game 42% for the floor he has been a key player for the squads he’s been on the last couple years here in the NBA perhaps he will be continued successful career in Orlando again when news breaks here with INF fre worth $70 million to return to the Clippers a key move for La who could be losing Paul George in free agency the Sixers in Magic reportedly The Front Runners there as for Harden down year measured against his one-time MVP season averaged 16 points 8 and a half assists while shooting 43% last season Clippers went out in the first round of the playoffs against Dallas James Harden turns 35 in August the second year of that 2-year deal is a player option in studio here with CBS Sports basketball analyst Chris Walker and that’s welcome in CBS Sports NBA Insider Bill Ryder Bill James Harden staying with the Clippers that basically means that Paul George is on his way out is that what that tells you well guys it tells you that they’re certainly worried that yeah that Paul George is going to leave the reality is that James Harden is not worth this kind of money but when you have a bird’s right trap as John holler coined it like the Clippers had with Harden if he moved on you wouldn’t be able to replace him he have them between a rock and a hard place and he gets a great deal not just the two years and all that money but the player option means if he plays well this upcoming year there is every expectation he can opt down with that new money that’ll flow into the CBA because of what’ll be the ballooning amount of cash that comes in from Amazon and other R holders he can get even more there’s a world in in a way that they could certainly try to bring back Paul George but yes I think this is another indication that PG is heading somewhere else I’m curious what Chris thinks encage what you guys think but it sure feels like Philadelphia is the spot and while I haven’t talked to folks in the organization who said he’s coming and reaching out to some people within that seor organization today they were in a much better mood and seemed a lot more optimistic than they did 48 hours ago well I’ll tell you this bill is the ultimate Insider so if he does not know it’s pretty tight lipped where Paul George is going but I’ll tell you this I believe Paul George is going to go to the Sixers but but I’ll well nobody knows where Paul George is going he’s meeting with three teams I think going to go to but but as far as the the James Harden situation again James Harden they had to get that done right they absolutely had to they had again you know as as Bill mentioned they couldn’t get anything back from him with the bird rights but I’ll I’ll tell you this the other part to it is where else is James Harden going I know you going to go to Lakers like like you know LeBron trying to do his money so so my thing is where is he going he’s home he’s in LA new Arena as as you mentioned that the player option has a chance with the new deal maybe there it could be a balloon owning what he gets paid uh you know James Harden again an anomaly not having the same numbers but also not the same player playing with two other superstars and if they don’t have Paul George remember they’re still in La you know and people love the Clippers they need to have some Star Quality there we don’t know how much uh kawh in will be available but at the end of the day Russell Westbrook he’ll be back six-man roll not the player he was but James Harden you got to have some type of star quality it is still la la even though they’re going to Englewood it’s still La they got to have some players AE I’m just telling you you got that look on your face you don’t like the James hard why don’t you like James Harden you you don’t think he’s worth the money they had one of the best record this bill this didn’t work they have Paul George kawi Leon James Harden where did they were a first round exit this is they’re throwing money at guys and I get it because the league has the money but like James Harden is turning 35 in August what more are you going to get out of him you are both absolutely right have you ever gone to Vegas watch the guy who has lost half the money that his wife doesn’t know about and he looks at the other half and he says I’m already getting divorced what the hell I’ll just put in the middle of the pot and see what happens that’s what’s going on and you’re both making great points because Chris is absolutely right the Lakers had some interest a faint amount of interest in James Harden they want a player of that caliber who’s willing to take a discount and they can now get him the mid-level exception which is just under $13 million a year obviously it won’t be hard but keep an eye on clay and Demar D rozan names like that guys that would take a pay cut if LeBron is Will to take a pay cut to try to get some more help in La that’s the market I think for James hard may maybe a little more if he wants he doesn’t but wants to go to place like Detroit or Orlando have a lot of cap space and James Harden was gonna always take the cash and stay with the Clippers not because they’re gonna win because they again they ke they just they don’t have a choice you’re right it’s an absolute mistake for me in a vacuum the situation is it’s not a vacuum the Clippers have put themselves in a really bad situation they’ve got this strange game of chicken that’s going on with Paul George where they really should just give him the fourth year and pay him the money because they are not good enough but their cap reality is such that they’ve got to bring back the guys who are on their roster because if these guys leave they don’t have the flexibility the minute they brought James Harden into this team guys they had to pay him something along the lines of this deal and the fact it’s only two years is probably good news because if James Harden said give me a three-year deal even though he’s not worth it I think he would have gotten it because the Clippers have painted themselves into this corner Chris where where did it work with James Harden did it work in Houston Oklahoma City you work in Brooklyn yes it worked in Houston are Ser he was a one time MVP I’m just I’m just stir the pot here no no no that was years ago though it definitely worked in Houston it wasn’t his fault it didn’t work in Brooklyn they didn’t but they didn’t do enough around him right they worked but James Harden has always been a polarizing figure and let’s and let’s face it Bill he wasn’t taking the discount because of what happened in Philly so he was going to get all of his money there was no way he was going to leave and do anything else but but again you’re talking about a player who sacrificed his game in Brooklyn sacrific his game with the Clippers and I might add when the Clippers were healthy they were one of the best teams in the NBA right it’s sabotaged everything not wrong so James hard as much as much malign as he is he is one that will go in as a superstar egoist like some of them say you know what I’ll sacrifice and do this for the team and now he’s being rewarded for that you got to bill you got to have a star in La come on you you you can’t be an LA without a star Kawai Kawai is a half a star like he’s like a come on he’s what what you he can he can be the guy he’s always hurt I know he’s always hurt so availability is the best ability so my thing is again he’s he’s if he had a Hollywood star he back real Dusty with like a little halfar you would me to see his name or but but I’m just saying I love Kawai is a really good player second Team all all NBA but at the end of the day just not available so the Clippers has their bet maybe maybe it’ll work with with with two stars Kawai and James cuz Ka half Stars well all right fine I get him two but he’s on in Costa Rica right now he’s he’s having good time apparently uh all right so Paul George is planing to speak with the [Music] clipper for for for for e for for for hello fore speee spee for got for sh for for wa hello s

BREAKING: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is signing with the Magic on a 3-year deal – Woj | ESPN SC