LeBron James shocked the NBA world when he announced his decision to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. Now, the front office has to polish the roster before the offseason ends. To that effect, they might soon be handed a rare opening they should immediately take advantage of –– snagging the superstar's previous champion teammate, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who is rumored to be closing in on a buyout agreement with his current ball club.
Chris Haynes first reported a few weeks back that KCP is likely to part with the Grizzlies, whom he played for last season. The likely resolution will be a buyout, as Memphis has failed to find a taker for him via trade to this point. This would be a big opportunity for the 76ers to address some much-needed roster needs and to give James a sense of familiarity.
Memphis Grizzlies and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are on the verge of working on a parting resolution as he could be traded or become a free agent relatively soon, league sources tell me. pic.twitter.com/A1n8jWniJj
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 1, 2026
The 76ers could steal KCP for almost free if he gets bought out
Caldwell-Pope won the first of his two championships with the Lakers back in 2020, the Bubble season. He spent three years with James in Los Angeles. He was instrumental in their title run six years ago as the team's most reliable 3-and-D wing. These two are quite familiar with one another.
Now that he is on the verge of becoming a free agent, the 76ers should be in strong contention to land his services. He will not be a costly man to pursue anyway, which makes him a very appealing addition to this team, which is now low on spending money, as a stabilizer off the bench.
Caldwell-Pope has the tools to help this new-look 76ers team
A career 36.5 percent 3-point shooter, Caldwell-Pope would be a welcome addition to strengthen the team's perimeter shooting woes from last season. He is also a stable perimeter defender capable of guarding one through three. He should, if bought out, be able to provide balance to a 76ers bench in dire need of stoppers.
Even better, as a two-time champion, he is someone Nick Nurse and the coaching staff could rely on during crunch time. He has shown an uncanny ability to hit big shots for his teams, and that is crucial when defenses double down on the team's barrage of stars.
Obviously, the 76ers do not need any more flashy signings. However, they do require some heady ones now that they have LeBron James in the fold. Hence, they should be aggressive in securing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope the moment he becomes officially available.
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