An NBA champion has just landed in Orlando… with no intention of resting there. Titled in 2020 with the Lakers, then three years later with the Nuggets, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope took a new turn in his career by signing with the young Magic team.
Certainly, that three-year, $66 million contract played a big role in the balance. But “KCP” was also convinced by the potential of this team, which came close to a conference semifinal last year.
“ I'm still chasing a title. I've seen the progress this team has made, the playoffs, taking Cleveland to Game 7, that was enough for me. They've tasted the pressure and now they know what it takes to get past the first round. I want to bring a championship mentality to this team. “, says the back.
A great promise for Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and the others for whom this series against the Cavs was the first trip to the final stages. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will bring them his experience as a double champion and the mentality that goes with it.
The statistics that excite Jeff Weltman
Not to mention the big defense on the outside lines – ” If we can focus on defense, everything else will fall into place. “, he judges -, as well as long-distance address: the former undisputed holder in Denver has completed three of his last four exercises with over 40% success at 3-points.
Jeff Weltman, the franchise president, sees this rarely injured player as a valuable asset. He doesn't have any big stats, he's not a big scorer. But the stats that I have in my head — playing all those minutes for championship teams and defending the other team's best player 97 percent of the time — those are the stats that guys like me get excited about. “, says the leader.
All that remains is to see how things will go within this team that does not seem to want to rush things and focus on the long term. Like other recently champion teams have done before the Magic. It should be remembered that the Florida franchise has never won the title in its 35 years of existence.
