76ers waive former first-rounder to make room for star LeBron James, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The Philadelphia 76ers have been extremely aggressive this offseason, with their first major move being the acquisition of Jaylen Brown. Philadelphia took advantage of the deteriorating relationship between Brown and the Boston Celtics, making a move to bring the former All-Star to town.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, the 76ers became a serious contender in the race for four-time NBA champion LeBron James. Over the weekend, James made it official that he intended to sign with Philadelphia.

“LeBron James is signing with the Philadelphia 76ers for his final run at another NBA championship, he announced Friday,” ESPN’s Dave McMenamin wrote. “James, 41, is signing a two-year, $8 million contract with a player option, Klutch Sports Group CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania.”

The 76ers did not waste much time building around James, immediately targeting one of his former teammates. Philadelphia reached an agreement with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.

“Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is negotiating a buyout with the Grizzlies and intends to sign with the 76ers, per Chris B Haynes. KCP joins Bron in Philly,” Bleacher Report posted.

James and Caldwell-Pope previously won a championship together with the Lakers in 2020. With Philadelphia adding both players, the team needed to make roster moves to create space. On Sunday, the 76ers waived former first-round pick Dalen Terry.

“The Sixers waive Dalen Terry to clear space for LeBron James and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Terry, a former first-round pick, had a non-guaranteed contract for the upcoming season. Philadelphia must still move one additional player to create enough room for both additions,” NBA writer Jake Weinbach wrote.

The 76ers officially announced the signing of James, which was made possible by waiving Terry. However, Philadelphia cannot officially finalize the Caldwell-Pope signing until another corresponding roster move is completed.

The biggest takeaway is that James is officially part of the 76ers organization and will have two seasons to pursue another championship. As for Terry, the former first-round pick will now look for another opportunity elsewhere.

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