NBA free agency has begun, with some initial questions being addressed. Among the major participants in motion On Sunday, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a former guard for the Nuggets, signed a three-year contract with the Magic. Though hardly a household name, Caldwell-Pope has played a vital supporting role for the Lakers and Nuggets, two championship teams in recent years.
The Nuggets now face a challenging predicament moving forward. Even though three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is the best player in the league, their supporting group is worse than that of their championship squad. Over the last two summers, they have now lost both Bruce Brown and Caldwell-Pope, two crucial role players, to free agency.
That is encouraging for the Celtics in terms of their hopes of winning back-to-back championships. The Nuggets were eliminated by the Timberwolves in the second round, therefore the C’s were spared from facing Jokic in the postseason. However, with Jokic, there’s always a chance the Nuggets get to the NBA Finals and win the West.
So there is a subtle boost for the Celtics in Caldwell-Pope leaving the Nuggets for the Magic. While Orlando is looking to take that next step, it’s still a young team led by a young star in Paolo Banchero. The C’s themselves know how a great or elite role player can elevate a team — look no further than their current roster with guys like Derrick White and Jrue Holiday.
Caldwell-Pope’s departure is the normal cycle of free agency as teams can only spend so much. The Nuggets also could’ve shied away from the second apron in the salary cap, which would’ve limited them in any potential trades or signings going forward. Regardless, the end result is that the Nuggets are down a key starter from their title team. They’ll rely on Christian Braun as the starter, as of now, as there will be pressure on the 23-year-old to perform next season for a title contender.
On the flip side, perhaps the Nuggets can still make a move down the line to bolster the roster. But losing a veteran with championship experience in Caldwell-Pope will be difficult to replace. The current roster as of now will need to step up with Jokic still leading the way. But the free agency is period is still early as the league will see plenty of movement going forward.
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