In a recent interview with Ryan Blackburn of Mile High Sports, Nuggets GM Calvin Booth alluded to a potential Kentavious Caldwell-Pope free agency departure.
Booth said, “Yeah, I think you have to look at everything and the nature of free agency is that he’s unrestricted. So we can try to bring him back and if he doesn’t want to come back or opts to go somewhere else, that’s his prerogative so we’ll have to work with that.” That comment is innocuous, but his final word on the matter speaks to the possibility of KCP departing in free agency. According to Booth, “It would be nice if he’s back, we’d have a lot of continuity together, but all the stuff I’ve looked at with lineup stuff and everything, Christian Braun is one of the best net rating guys in the league — as is KCP. So I think if he’s to step into the starting lineup, I would project that we’ll be OK if KCP doesn’t return.” If Caldwell-Pope doesn’t return to the Nuggets next season, Braun is an intriguing late-round pick. He’s played well in limited minutes, and a starting role would do wonders for his fantasy value.