Veteran guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is setting the record straight about life in Memphis following his offseason trade to the Grizzlies.
Speaking about his adjustment to the city, Caldwell-Pope said on The Dawg Talk Podcast, via HoopsHype, “Memphis is safe, man. Like ever since I got traded, that’s all I was hearing before, but it’s been the total opposite of what I’ve actually experienced.”
The 32-year-old said his experience has been far more positive than what he was told prior to the trade. “The condo I’m in — it’s nice. It’s one of the newest ones they just built out there. I’m downtown, about seven minutes from the arena. I’ve got places I can go out, eat, hang out — it’s cool. It’s real cool,” he added.
Caldwell-Pope was traded to Memphis on June 15 in a major deal that sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic. The Grizzlies also received Cole Anthony and multiple first-round picks as part of the exchange.
The move gives Memphis another proven perimeter defender and a veteran voice alongside Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. Caldwell-Pope, a two-time NBA champion with the Lakers and Nuggets, has built a reputation for reliability and three-point consistency over his 11-year career.
In the 2024–25 season with Orlando, he averaged 8.7 points, 2.2 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 34.2% from beyond the arc. He also appeared in 77 games, maintaining his reputation as one of the league’s most durable players.
The 2025–26 preseason has shown promising signs of his fit with Memphis. Through three games, he’s averaged 14.3 points while shooting efficiently from the field and beyond the arc, including a 15-point performance against the Charlotte Hornets on October 16.
