3 Teams that could steal Kentavious Caldwell-Pope away from Nuggets this offseason
By Ben Handler
2.) Magic get a piece to push them over the hump
Another team with major cap space that’s looking to make a leap next season is the Orlando Magic. They’ve built a promising young core around Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and others, surging to the 5th seed in the East this season, losing a hard-fought seven-game series to the Cavaliers in round one.
There’s no doubt the Magic will want to build on that success and vault into contention next season. The East appears wide open outside of the Celtics and there’s no reason the Magic and their young stars can’t get in the mix as soon as next year. But, while stacked with size and defense, the Magic are short on veterans and reliable guards who can shoot.
KCP would solve both of those problems and the team wouldn’t even have to sacrifice their defensive identity. Much like Detroit, Orlando isn’t exactly a free agency destination, so they may be willing to overpay for a good but attainable player they’re high on.
Caldwell-Pope could fit that bill for the Magic and would slide beautifully into their rotation and possibly starting lineup. They can afford to splurge as their key players won’t be due for big paydays for several years. It makes sense to buy now and try to take advantage of a weak Eastern Conference.