"33 Million a year for KCP is wild": Fans drop contrasting reactions to Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's blockbuster deal with Orlando Magic

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, after a successful two-year run with the Denver Nuggets, has agreed to a three-year, $66 million deal with the Orlando Magic. “KCP” was a starting guard on the team that won the 2023 NBA championship and was key for the Nuggets again this year. Denver did not want to go past the second apron, forcing them to let go of the defensive ace.

Caldwell-Pope will bring a ton of experience, particularly in big games for a young Orlando Magic team. He will be a perfect fit for Orlando’s defense-first philosophy and complement star forward Paolo Banchero on offense with his 3-point shooting.

Basketball fans reacted to the news of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s signing:

“33 Million a year for KCP is wild”

One fan pointed out what this contract looked like:

“Bruce Brown contract 2.0”

Another fan predicted what the Orlando Magic got:

“Overpay. Jokic made him look like the best version of KCP. Orlando won’t be getting that same player even though that’s what they’re paying for.”

One fan was quite optimistic about Orlando's chances with KCP:

"Magic will be a 2-seed next season"

Somebody explained what the loss meant to the Denver Nuggets:

“Denver are so screwed lmao, they have no spacing anymore”

For the second straight offseason, the Denver Nuggets lost a key component to their 2023 championship team. Last year, it was Bruce Brown, who the Indiana Pacers signed to a two-year $45 million deal.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope followed that route, giving him roughly the same money on average. “KCP” has a $23 million player option in his third year.

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Orlando needs more than Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to improve the offense

The Orlando Magic had the third-best defensive efficiency in the regular season. They will be even tougher to score against next campaign with the arrival of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The offense, though, is unlikely to take a significant step forward.

“KCP” isn’t known for his off-the-dribble offense throughout his career in the NBA. In Denver, he had the luxury of playing with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray, two of the best set-up men in the league. The Orlando Magic doesn’t have the same type of playmakers that the Nuggets have.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will not likely have many open looks playing alongside Cole Anthony, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs. Orlando’s offense will hardly move an inch despite acquiring the shooting guard.

The two-time champ is undeniably a big acquisition for the Orlando Magic. He will be invaluable due to his defense, experience and leadership. Magic GM Anthony Parker, however, likely has to look for other ways to shore up the offense that ranked 22nd in efficiency last season.