Caldwell-Pope Opts In
Memphis Grizzlies' Kentavious Caldwell-Pope Exercises $21.6 Million Player Option for 2026-27 Season
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Key Points
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Caldwell-Pope had to make his decision by the contract deadline on Tuesday, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania (as reported by TheScore).
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After undergoing right pinkie surgery in February, Caldwell-Pope missed the Grizzlies’ final 29 regular-season games and finished with 0.8 steals per game, while averaging 21.3 minutes across 51 appearances and 14 starts, per CBS Sports.
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While his 2025-26 three-point shooting dipped to 31.6%, Caldwell-Pope is a career 36.5% 3-point shooter, according to TheScore.
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The 33-year-old was originally drafted No. 8 overall by the Detroit Pistons in 2013, and his other NBA stops include the Los Angeles Lakers, Washington Wizards, and Denver Nuggets, per TheScore.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is staying in Memphis. The 33-year-old wing exercised his $21.6 million player option for the 2026-27 season with the Grizzlies, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The move locks him in for one more year and sets him up to hit unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2027.
The opt-in closes out a difficult 2025-26 season for Caldwell-Pope. He appeared in just 51 games, missed the final 29 of the regular season due to right pinkie surgery, and shot a career-low 31.6% from three. Still, he chose security over a shaky free-agent market, per TSN.
Pinkie Surgery Derailed a Rough Memphis Debut
Caldwell-Pope underwent surgery in February 2026 to fix a misaligned right pinkie finger, per CBS Sports. The injury is especially damaging for a perimeter shooter. He missed 29 straight games to close the regular season and never returned.
His final numbers told a tough story. He averaged 8.4 points, 2.7 assists, and 2.5 rebounds in 21.3 minutes per game, per CBS Sports. His field-goal percentage sat at 41.0%. His 0.8 steals per game fell well below his career peak of 1.4. It was his lowest-scoring season in nearly a decade.
Opting In Was a Smart Business Move for KCP
Caldwell-Pope is a two-time NBA champion — he won rings with the 2020 Lakers and the 2023 Denver Nuggets, per TheScore. But coming off hand surgery and a down year, he was unlikely to land a $20 million-plus annual salary on the open market. Locking in $21.6 million was the safe play.
His career three-point average is 36.5%, well above his 31.6% mark this past season, according to TheScore. If his hand heals fully, a bounce-back year is possible. That would give him much more leverage when he hits free agency in 2027.
Grizzlies Get a Tradable Asset Out of the Bane Deal
Memphis acquired Caldwell-Pope last June as the centerpiece of the Desmond Bane trade with the Orlando Magic, per RealGM. That deal remains a sore spot for some Grizzlies fans. Caldwell-Pope has delivered just 51 games of below-average shooting so far.
But the front office sees a silver lining. Because Caldwell-Pope is now on an expiring $21.6 million deal, his contract is one of the easiest to move in a salary-matching trade. If Memphis wants to chase a bigger name before the 2027 deadline, his deal is the perfect piece to attach, according to Fadeaway World.
Cap Pressure Looms Alongside Morant and Jackson Deals
Adding $21.6 million to the books is not painless. Memphis already carries max extensions for Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Caldwell-Pope's opt-in pushes the Grizzlies close to the NBA's second apron — the threshold that limits how teams can build rosters and trade salaries, per Talkbasket.
That means Memphis may have to let cheaper free agents walk this summer to avoid steep luxury-tax bills. Caldwell-Pope could also block younger wings from getting minutes unless he recaptures his earlier form. The Grizzlies are betting on a healthier, sharper version of the veteran they traded Bane to get.
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