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Philadelphia 76ers: You down with KCP? Nah, TTP

By Jason Blevins

AUBURN HILLS, MI - MARCH 30: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #5 of the Detroit Pistons takes a shot next to Randy Foye #2 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at the Palace of Auburn Hills on March 30, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
AUBURN HILLS, MI - MARCH 30: Kentavious Caldwell-Pope #5 of the Detroit Pistons takes a shot next to Randy Foye #2 of the Brooklyn Nets during the first half at the Palace of Auburn Hills on March 30, 2017 in Auburn Hills, Michigan. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Detroit Pistons traded for Avery Bradley on Friday and renounced restricted free agency rights on Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, leaving a window open for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Heading into the NBA free agency season, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was a very popular name associated with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now that Detroit has renounced their right to match an offer he has become an unrestricted free agent. So are you down with KCP? Nah, not me…

Nothing against Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as a player. He is a solid defender from the shooting guard position. My issue is that he is not quite the floor spacer that some expected him to grow into in the past few years. He is one of those players that looks like a prototypical 3 and D player, but at the end of the season you look back and his numbers simply don’t back up that reputation.

So let’s look at Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and his potential fit on the Philadelphia 76ers.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

The Measurements

Age: 24

Height: 6-foot-5

Wingspan: 6-foot-8

Position: SG

The Stats

Minutes per Game: 33

Points Per Game: 13.8

Field Goal shooting: 39.9 percent

3-point shooting: 35.0 percent

Rebounds per game: 3.3

Assists per game: 2.5

Steals per game: 1.2

Offensive Rating: 107

Defensive Rating: 109

Keep in mind that 35 percent from 3-point percentage was a career high for KCP and it would rank him nearly nine percentage points behind J.J. Redick. Yes, Redick is an older player with less upside, but the financial commitment the Philadelphia 76ers had to make were far less onerous for future years beyond 2017.

Related Story: How JJ Redick will fit on the Philadelphia 76ers roster

Expected Contract

Consensus opinion prior to July 1 was that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was due for a max contract offer and that Detroit would likely be forced to match the offer. With the acquisition of Avery Bradley, however, it appears that Detroit is ready to commit to Bradley for the future and move on from KCP.

The NBA free agent market has been all over the place this summer so far but you would have to think that KCP is looking to cash in and get something at least equal to what Tim Hardaway Jr. recieved from the New York Knicks.

This offer reportedly includes a 15 percent trade kicker as well as a fourth year player option. I cannot stress enough how much a contract like that constrains a team from a future financial flexibility standpoint. This is the kind of “poison pill” contract you give to damage a team who is planning to match. The Atlanta Hawks will likely have to pass on this and allow Hardaway Jr. go to the Knicks. But if I am KCP’s agent, this is the kind of deal I am looking for.

Fit on the Philadelphia 76ers

From the perspective of the Sixers roster circa April 2017, KCP would seem to make some sense. But in July 2017 with the addition of J.J. Redick, the drafting of Markelle Fultz (who will play off ball quite a bit) and the expected development of Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, the landscape has changed.

Related Story: Breaking down the Sixers' depth chart on the wing

Here are the current Philadelphia 76ers who can play shooting guard offensively:

  • Markelle Fultz
  • J.J. Redick
  • Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot
  • Nik Stauskas
  • Jerryd Bayless

Final Analysis

Now you can argue that Fultz and Bayless are comboguards who play point and shooting guard. That is a very valid perspective, but with Ben Simmons initiating offense, you simply have to admit that this is a suddenly very crowded backcourt. How do you find 30-plus minutes per game to give to Kentavious? You can argue that he would be a clear upgrade defensively to anyone on the list above. If finances were not a factor I could convince myself that the defense would be very attractive. But Cash Rules Everything Around Me.

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I simply cannot advocate for giving Kentavious &15-to-20 million per year for the next four years because it would mean moving on from multiple other back court options. Expecting progress from TLC this coming season on both ends of the floor is reasonable. It is fair to believe he has similar potential, at a tiny fraction of the cost until 2020. Timothe also will be comfortable playing 15-to-20 minutes per game and having a very well-defined role on the team. He does not have the kind of natural pressure to live up to his contract that KCP is almost sure to have in the coming season.