In KCP, Magic See Missing Ingredients: 3-Pointers, Finals Experience

Orlando Magic guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, an excellent defender and outside shooter, has won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets in his 11-year career.

Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) reacts to a three-point shot during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers in game one of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. / Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

ORLANDO — With Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Orlando Magic have added one of the few free agents with the tangible and intangible qualities they need most: an outside shooting touch and NBA Finals experience.

"I'm always chasing the championship," KCP said on Saturday. "That was one of my ideas. Seeing their progress, they made it to the playoffs, taking Cleveland to a Game 7. That was enough for me. They got a little bit of a taste of that pressure and what it takes to make it past the first round. I'm just excited to be a part of it."

Caldwell-Pope agreed to a three-year $66 million deal on June 30, which became official on Saturday. The contract includes a player option for the third season.

KCP won NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 and the Denver Nuggets in 2023. The 6-foot-5 guard started in every game during both postseason runs, averaged just over 10 points per game and shot over 37 percent on his 3-point attempts.

He has shot better than 40 percent on his 3s in three of the past four regular seasons. In 2023-24, Orlando ranked in the bottom 10 in 3-point percentage, 3-point attempts, 3-pointers made per game and points per game.

Magic President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman believes that Caldwell-Pope's NBA Finals experience and skill set will be a boon for a franchise that was the fifth-youngest in the NBA last season and will remain among the league's youngest teams next season.

"It's invaluable," Weltman said. "To have a guy who's been through it, and not just been a part of it but been a significant part of it. Because those are two very different things. ... He understands the seriousness and the commitment that it takes to win at that level. We have a very young team and our guys haven't been exposed to that yet. It's going to really open their eyes and improve them."

Weltman added: "He will make us better defensively, he will improve our shooting and he will model what championship work is like for our young players."

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