Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is reportedly negotiating a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies, and the word on the street, per Prime Video’s Chris Haynes, is he’s looking to reunite with LeBron James on the Philadelphia Sixers. Talk about a plot twist heading into the season! When King James lands somewhere, you know his crew is gonna follow, and KCP is apparently the first domino to fall.
The King’s Familiar Face Returns
It’s no secret Caldwell-Pope and James have a history. They balled out for three seasons together with the Los Angeles Lakers, even snagging an NBA title during that wild COVID-bubble run back in 2020. Plus, they share an agent in Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, so the connections run deep. Caldwell-Pope has always been that classic “3-and-D” guy, a type of player that historically just clicks with James’s game. Remember when the Lakers shipped KCP off for Russell Westbrook? That was a controversial move, and honestly, it aged like milk. Caldwell-Pope went on to win *another* title with the Denver Nuggets, while the Lakers, well, they just struggled to figure out Westbrook out. You gotta wonder how many times teams will make that mistake.
A Risky Bet for Philly, But What If…?
Now, let’s talk about KCP’s recent form. He was due to make a hefty $21.6 million in 2026-27, but he’s coming off what’s being called one of the worst seasons of his career. That 31.6% shooting from three-point range? That’s his lowest mark since 2015-16. Ouch. He’s still a plus defender, thankfully, but that shooting has gotta be a concern. The good news for the Sixers is they won’t need him to be the main man. They’ve had a busy offseason even before LeBron showed up, and their rotation is already fully stocked. Think about it: James, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe are the natural starters. Then you’ve got Anfernee Simons, Dean Wade, Ariel Hukporti, and more coming off the bench. So, KCP is really a low-cost roll of the dice for them. It’s been a couple of years since Caldwell-Pope was on a true contender, so maybe, just maybe, we’ll see a different level of motivation from him this upcoming season. With LeBron by his side, anything’s possible. It’s gonna be wild to see if this reunion pays off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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