Kentavious Caldwell-Pope’s next move may end up being tied to LeBron James, even before James decides where he’s going.
Caldwell-Pope already picked up his $21.6 million player option, but that hasn’t taken him out of the rumor mill. The latest word out of Memphis is that a buyout with the Grizzlies is drawing closer, which would put the veteran guard back on the market and make him one of the more interesting names still available this summer.
NBA insider Evan Sidery put it plainly: “Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a likely buyout candidate from the Grizzlies,” reported NBA insider Evan Sidery. “With Memphis currently well over the roster limit, Caldwell-Pope is expected to be approached for a buyout soon. KCP, who is repped by Klutch Sports, could end up following LeBron James to his next team.”
That possibility has a familiar ring to it. James and Caldwell-Pope spent four seasons together with the Lakers and helped bring home the 2020 bubble championship.
Caldwell-Pope never needed to be the headliner in that run. His value came from the kind of work contenders always need: defending on the perimeter, chasing shooters, and knocking down enough threes to keep the floor spaced.
He left Los Angeles in 2021, but the idea of a reunion is back on the table now that James is headed for a team change for the first time since becoming a Laker. There’s been plenty of talk about James bringing former teammates along with him to what could be the final stop of his career.
For Memphis, Caldwell-Pope doesn’t really line up with where the roster is headed. For a player who has shown some physical decline in recent years, that makes a buyout feel even more likely. Last season, he averaged 8.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks per game while shooting 41.0% from the field and 31.6% from three.
Even with those numbers, he still has value. At 33, Caldwell-Pope remains a two-way guard with championship experience, and that combination plays on a lot of win-now teams. If he does become a free agent, a minimum deal could make him especially appealing to whichever team lands James.
The source of the speculation points to the Heat or Cavaliers as the likely destinations for James, and either one would have a real use for a veteran shooter like Caldwell-Pope. A roster with James and a steady perimeter threat would look dangerous in the East, and for Caldwell-Pope, it would offer one more shot at meaningful basketball and another run at a title.
Even if he doesn’t end up following James, the market should still be there. A guard who can help on both ends and doesn’t need a huge contract will have suitors, especially among teams trying to win right away. The first step, though, is getting out of Memphis.
In Other News...
Grizzlies Let A Summer League Title Slip Away Late
The Grizzlies had put themselves in position to turn a strong Summer League run into a title, but the final against Golden State exposed how thin the margin can be in a compressed tournament setting. Memphis was coming back only 27 hours after facing Houston, and the wear showed in the legs and the defensive energy as the game tightened late.
Several Memphis contributors gave the team a lift early, only to fade after halftime as the Warriors kept finding answers. Yaxel Lendeborgs foul trouble also complicated things, and when he picked up his fourth late in the third quarter, it limited how aggressive he could be while staying on the floor, leaving Memphis to chase the game without quite enough left to finish the job. [Read more 🡒]
How Low Is Too Low For This Grizzlies Reset
Memphis has already made the kind of hard reset that usually comes with a full-scale rebuild, moving on from Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane and shifting the spotlight to a younger group that includes Cedric Coward, Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells and newly acquired Cameron Boozer. It is a jarring change for a franchise that spent so long trying to win around a veteran core, but the idea now is simpler: build something sturdier, cleaner and more sustainable than what last season became.
The question is how much patience that plan can buy in the standings. The Grizzlies are not being treated like a playoff threat, but the expectation is that they should clear the 23.5-win line and land closer to 27.5 if health and continuity finally cooperate. After a year defined by injuries and constant lineup churn, even a modest step forward would matter, though the bigger test is whether this reset can stay on track long enough to show what Memphis has actually built. [Read more 🡒]
Grizzlies Fans Just Watched Another Rookie Steal The Summer League Spotlight
The 2026 Las Vegas Summer League wrapped up July 19, and for Memphis it ended with a familiar kind of frustration: another rookie stealing the spotlight just as the event reached its biggest stage. The tournament again served as a showcase for the newest draft picks and undrafted free agents, and the Grizzlies were right in the middle of it, with their summer run carrying all the usual promise and the usual reminder that these games can quickly turn into someone elses coming-out party.
Memphis still got a close look at a roster full of young talent across the event, with several players posting eye-catching performances along the way. The title game added one more layer to that evaluation, as the Grizzlies had to watch a top draft selection take control of the night and leave with the MVP hardware, a final impression that will linger as Memphis sorts through what it learned in Las Vegas. [Read more 🡒]