Signing With Magic Was Easy Decision For Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

With the Orlando Magic coming off a 47-win season and a playoff appearance, it was an easy choice for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in free agency.

Nathaniel Marrero | Jul 25, 2024

Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (5) passes the ball around Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second quarter at Amway Center. / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic set the foundation to be a playoff team for years to come after winning 47 games and coming within a game of reaching the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs last season.

Competing with teams like the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers would prove tough without adding proven players. Orlando took a big step toward building on its best season in over a decade and being able to compete with the elite of the Eastern Conference by signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to a three-year $66 million deal this offseason.

For KCP, 31, he doesn't feel like the Magic are far off after last season and that he can improve the team's shooting, arguably their biggest weakness last season. He also brings a wealth of experience after being a starter on championship teams for the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets.

"They got the formula already," KCP said of the Magic on the Draymond Green Show. "One of the reasons they're bringing me over [is] I feel like they didn't have a lot of shooting. You put a lot of Paolo [Banchero] and Franz [Wagner] to make plays, but you've got to have guys that are ready to know down their shots too. It was a lot of inexperience as well. They're young. It's the first time they're making it as a young core."

Caldwell-Pope has shot over 40 percent on his 3-pointers in three of his last four seasons and has also been a presence on defense, averaging over one steal per game in each of the last three seasons. KCP has also been among the league's most durable players since entering the league, as he's only played fewer than 70 games in a season twice in his 11-year career.

Orlando was last in 3-pointers made per game and 24th in 3-point percentage. For as much as they struggled offensively, the Magic boasted one of the league's elite defenses, ranking second in defensive rating and fourth in points allowed per game.

With Orlando having the fifth-youngest team in the league last season, adding a proven veteran and shooting was easily among its biggest needs this offseason. In KCP, the Magic got both.

And with what Orlando showcased last season in coming within a game of reaching the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs for the first time since 2010, it wasn't difficult for KCP to decide where he wanted to sign this offseason.

"Seeing the toughness, the effort they gave, it made my decision easy to come to Orlando," KCP said. "They wanted me just as bad as I wanted to be able to join their team and add what I can add."

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