NBA free agency is off and running as some early question marks are getting answered. One of the bigger players on the move Sunday was former Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who agreed to a three-year deal with the Magic.
While Caldwell-Pope isn’t a star, he’s been a key role player for multiple title teams in the Lakers and Nuggets in the past few years.
That now puts the Nuggets in a tough situation going forward. Sure, while they have the best player in the league in three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the supporting cast is depleted compared to their title team. They’ve now lost both Bruce Brown and Caldwell-Pope — important role players — to free agency over the past two summers.
On the Celtics’ front, that’s a positive when it comes to them looking to go for back-to-back titles. The Nuggets were knocked out in the second round to the Timberwolves, meaning the C’s didn’t need to battle Jokic in the playoffs. But with Jokic, there’s always a chance the Nuggets get out of the West going forward for the NBA Finals.
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.
The Celtics are a second-apron team, which means they’re also limited in terms of adding to the roster. But they’re dealing from a position of strength as they bring back all of their top rotation players from last season. They’ll need to pay the price tag down the line in future seasons, but as of now, ownership is willing to pay the high luxury tax in the name of a title contender and one of the best teams in the league.
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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