NBA rumors: Pacers after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency
06/30/2024 12:12 PM
The Denver Nuggets could be losing another major piece of their championship core this offseason. A year after hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy and watching Bruce Brown sign with the Indiana Pacers, the same thing may happen to the Nuggets with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
Caldwell-Pope, the Nuggets’ best perimeter defender, is drawing interest from multiple teams, including the Orlando Magic, Philadelphia 76ers, and Pacers, according to former Denver Post reporter Mike Singer.
“I've mentioned Indiana before as a team to watch for KCP, & I heard it again yesterday,” Singer wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Would keep an eye on Pacers, among Sixers and Magic as teams that could lure him out of Denver. Have heard — & it makes sense — that he'd be looking for a longer deal at this point in career.”
Caldwell-Pope is an unrestricted free agent this offseason after declining a $15.4 million player option, which was a part of the two-year, $30.1 million contract extension he signed with Denver in 2022. KCP earned $14.7 million last season, the second-highest salary of his 11-year NBA career.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 2023/2024 Defensive Highlights. pic.twitter.com/ks6mWwzvGy
— Rayshard❼ ( TDS SZN ) (@Rayshard07) June 29, 2024
Could Nuggets lose Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to Pacers?
Shortly after their championship parade, the Denver Nuggets lost Bruce Brown to the Indiana Pacers. A key part of the Nuggets’ championship team’s rotation, Brown averaged 11.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists as the team’s sixth man. To lure Brown away from Denver, which could only offer him a starting salary of $7.8 million or less, the Pacers threw a two-year, $45 million at Brown’s feet.
Brown ultimately signed and earned $22 million last year, but his production was not such that he was indispensable to Indiana. Therefore, Brown became a key part of the trade that saw Pascal Siakam be acquired by Indiana. Brown landed with the Toronto Raptors, where he still remains and will make $23 million, and the Pacers emerged the big winner, having advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in a decade just months after acquiring Siakam.
The Pacers’ salary cap situation is more complicated now than it was one year ago, though. Tyrese Haliburton’s max rookie extension begins this season, and Siakam has reportedly agreed to a similarly sized max contract extension from Indiana. In addition to Haliburton and Siakam, whose combined salaries will exceed $80 million in 2024-25, the Pacers are on the hook for Myles Turner at $19.9 million and Aaron Nesmith at $11 million.
The Pacers could realistically offer Caldwell-Pope their full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which could be worth about $55 million over four years. At 31 years old and with defense being his biggest asset (and typically the first thing to go with aging players), KCP would likely strongly consider the deal considering it would take until age 35. Of course, the Nuggets could pay him that much or more to retain the defensive stalwart. Denver may be hesitant to do so, however, as the highly restrictive second apron looms.
Whether Caldwell-Pope lands in Indiana, back in Denver, or in Philadelphia or Orlando, he will be key a free agent to watch as up-and-coming teams and contending teams alike try to bolster their rosters.
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