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Veteran swingman Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is bringing championship experience to the Orlando Magic, and he's already noticing a key difference between his new team and his previous stints with the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Lakers. The 31-year-old Caldwell-Pope, entering his 12th NBA season, recently highlighted what sets the Magic apart: a collective commitment to defense.
“This is the first team that I’ve been on where everybody likes to defend,” Caldwell-Pope said. “That’s exciting for me. It makes me want to compete even more on that end. I’m just looking forward to being that team that’s going to be hard to score on. That (says a lot) in this league. A team that gets stops wins games.”
Caldwell-Pope’s observation comes as a surprise given his experience with two championship-winning teams. He played an integral role on the 2020 Lakers squad, which finished with a top-three defensive rating of 106.1 in the regular season and 108.7 in the playoffs. He also contributed to the Denver Nuggets' 2023 title run, where the team boasted a defensive rating of 110.2.
Caldwell-Pope brings championship experience to Magic as he highlights team’s defensive potential after successful stints with Lakers and Nuggets
Despite the strong defensive performances from both the Lakers and Nuggets during their championship seasons, Caldwell-Pope’s praise for the Magic suggests he sees something special in the team’s defensive potential. Orlando finished last season with a top-three defensive rating of 110.8, and in the playoffs, that number dropped to a remarkable 100, underscoring the team's defensive growth.
Caldwell-Pope, the only player to have won multiple championships this decade with the Lakers in 2020 and the Nuggets in 2023, brings valuable experience and leadership to a Magic team eager to make noise in the Eastern Conference. His comments should inspire confidence among Magic fans, as the team looks to build on its defensive strengths and establish itself as a force on both ends of the court.
With the addition of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, the Orlando Magic are hoping to translate their defensive prowess into playoff success and challenge the league’s top teams.
