Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is declining his $15.4 million player option and entering unrestricted free agency as expected, a league source confirmed to The Denver Post.
Caldwell-Pope, 31, has spent the last two seasons in Denver after being acquired in a trade that sent Monte Morris and Will Barton to the Wizards. With tenacious defense and creative locker room leadership tactics, KCP proved to be the final piece that Denver’s starting lineup needed to win the NBA championship in 2023. He averaged 10.1 points on 40.6% 3-point shooting this season, was a finalist for NBA Teammate of the Year and received 11 All-Defensive Team votes after helping the Nuggets improve from the 15th-ranked defense in the league to eighth-best.