Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Could Join LeBron James, 76ers After Buyout

After landing LeBron James on Friday afternoon, the Philadelphia 76ers are not done building out their roster.

They now have arguably the best starting lineup in the NBA, but depth is important both during the regular season and in the playoffs, and that has become the continued focus after adding several key pieces this offseason.

The next player who could be joining the team, and reuniting with LeBron in Philadelphia, is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

Caldwell-Pope is reportedly negotiating a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies and plans to sign with the 76ers once that process is complete. If that happens, it would reunite Caldwell-Pope with James, as the duo helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to an NBA championship in 2020.

And while Caldwell-Pope is no longer the player he was at that point in his career, he still fills a valuable role for a contending team because of his 3-point shooting and defensive versatility.

He’s a proven perimeter defender, a veteran who has played in big moments, and someone who understands exactly what it takes to contribute on a championship-caliber roster.

For Philadelphia, this would be another very low-risk move with meaningful upside.

The 76ers don’t need Caldwell-Pope to carry the offense or play a starring role. They simply need another reliable veteran who can knock down open shots, defend opposing wings and provide quality minutes throughout an 82-game season before the playoffs begin.

That’s exactly the type of player Caldwell-Pope has been throughout his career. While nothing is official until the buyout process is finalized, all signs continue to point toward Philadelphia adding yet another experienced veteran to an already loaded roster.

And if the deal gets done, the 76ers will have taken another important step toward building one of the deepest teams in the NBA as they continue their aggressive offseason.