After successful stints with the Los Angeles Lakers and Denver Nuggets and a one-year stop with the Washington Wizards in between, in which he won two NBA titles, veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope felt it was time for another change and decided to sign with the Orlando Magic in NBA free agency this summer.
The move was thought to be a massive upgrade for the Magic and a significant loss for the Nuggets, with Orlando trending up and Denver potentially struggling to figure out how to stay among the elite teams in the league with limitations regarding cap space.
With Caldwell-Pope heading to Orlando to play for his fifth NBA team, the Magic will see a boost in their outside shooting as well as their perimeter defense, as the two-time champion is one of the few players in the league who excels on both ends of the basketball court.
Although the Magic were already a talented team defensively, Caldwell-Pope will likely only make them better on that end of the floor, and he believes that their backcourt in Orlando might make an All-Defensive team next season, as he said on Draymond Green’s podcast via ClutchPoints.
“Don’t be surprised if you see me and [Jalen Suggs] on All-Defensive team next year,” Caldwell-Pope said.
“Don’t be surprised if you see me and [Jalen Suggs] on All-Defensive team next year.”
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope says the Magic have the best defensive backcourt in the league 🗣️
(via @TheVolumeSports)pic.twitter.com/VX0Ka3WAYm
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 25, 2024
With Jalen Suggs being one of the best up-and-coming perimeter defenders in the league, Orlando might be a tough team for opponents next season, as they should be a better all-around team after their breakout season in 2023-24.
Needless to say, the Magic could be a team to watch next season, with Paolo Banchero and company looking to turn some heads around the league once again.
