Kentavious Caldwell-Pope enjoyed playing with LeBron James so much that he decided to do it again.
He is negotiating a buyout with the Memphis Grizzlies after opting into his $21.6 million player option. He intends to join the Sixers upon clearing waivers, Chris Haynes of NBA on Prime reported on Friday evening. Caldwell-Pope will reunite with James, whom he won the Finals with on the Los Angeles Lakers in 2019-20.
How the Sixers can sign him
Actually acquiring Caldwell-Pope will be a bit tricky, though.
The Sixers are out of roster spots after signing James to a two-year, $8 million contract earlier in the day. To further complicate matters, his deal put Philadelphia $460,000 into the first tax apron, which they are hard-capped at. Not only will the Sixers have to waive someone for James to join them officially, but they’ll also need to part ways with someone else to snatch Caldwell-Pope as well.
Here’s an updated look at the Sixers’ cap sheet after signing LeBron James.
Philadelphia is $460k into the 1st apron, which it’s hard-capped at because it used the NTP-MLE.
It’ll need to shed salary one way or another. pic.twitter.com/MOHu2q6OBX
— Jacob Moreno (@jacob_moreno_) July 25, 2026
The two likely candidates are Dalen Terry and Jabari Walker, who will have $2.58 million salaries for the 2026-27 season. Terry’s is non-guaranteed while only $250,000 is guaranteed for Walker. So, if the team waived them both, they would be $4.46 million below the first apron. Assuming Philadelphia would ink Caldwell-Pope to a one-year, veteran minimum deal, he’d go on its books for just $2.45 million.
How will Caldwell-Pope contribute?
The addition itself is a solid one for the Sixers, who lack reliability at the wing.
Caldwell-Pope is no longer the highly-regarded 3&D guy he was with the Lakers and Denver Nuggets in their championship run in 2022-23. But he is still a capable body who can play spot minutes, knock down a few 3-pointers, and hold up defensively, which is all Philadelphia needs from him.
The last few years haven’t been the kindest to the former eighth overall pick after he signed a three-year, $66 million contract with the Orlando Magic in July 2024. Caldwell-Pope’s two-way repertoire did not translate as Orlando hoped, so it dealt him to the Memphis Grizzlies in its package for Desmond Bane one year later.
Sixers depth chart
PG: Maxey / Philon
SG: Edgecombe / Simons / Terry*
SF: Brown / Caldwell-Pope/ Edwards
PF: James/ Wade / Barlow / Walker*
C: Embiid / Bona* / Hukporti / BroomePhiladelphia needs to clear a roster spot and get below the first apron to sign KCP. pic.twitter.com/m2r3O4GNP5
— Jacob Moreno (@jacob_moreno_) July 25, 2026
The veteran couldn’t find his footing on a Grizzlies team in flux, notching 8.4 points on 31.6% from deep in 51 games before undergoing season-ending surgery on his right pinky in February. I’m not going to put much stock in the low 3-point percentage given Caldwell-Pope’s track record and the situation he was in. It’s reasonable that he’ll return to form to a small degree given the Sixers’ talent and competitiveness.
He’ll likely share minutes with Justin Edwards at the backup small forward spot until one of them proves they solely deserve the role. This addition is likely Philadelphia’s last, barring a two-way signing and the players it has to waive to create room for Caldwell-Pope. It was a solid way to close a historic day in the Delaware Valley.
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