NBA famous reporter Woj reported that Pop html renewed his contract with Nuggets in advance for 30 million in 22 years, and the second year of the contract is a player option. Pope played for the Wizards last season. During this offseason, Pope was sent to the Nuggets in a 2-for-3 deal. Pope's original contract still has one year left, with a salary of 14 million next season. After the Nuggets acquired Pope in the trade, they immediately renewed his contract for 2 years and 30 million in advance, which shows that they attach great importance to him.
After signing for 30 million in two years, Pope's total contract with the Nuggets became 44 million in three years. Nuggets head coach Malone said in an interview that Pope will enter the team's starting lineup next season and he will serve as the starting No. 2 position. After acquiring Pope, Malone believed that the Nuggets' starting five was one of the best in the NBA.
Pope also talked about his feelings about joining the Nuggets. He said that he was a little surprised to be traded to the Nuggets, but he was very happy that he could return to the ranks of competitors. Pope believes that if Davis had not hit the winning three-pointer in G2 of the Western Conference Finals with the Nuggets in 2020, the Lakers would have lost that series.
2020 Western Conference Finals G2, with 2.1 seconds left in the game, the Lakers trailed by 1 point. Davis went around the three-point line to catch the ball and hit the buzzer decisively, changing the series score to 2-0. After that, the Lakers defeated the Nuggets 4-1 and reached the finals. In the finals, they defeated and the Heat 4-2 and won the championship trophy.
Pope is the championship guard of the Lakers. In the 2020 playoffs , Pope played 21 games for the Lakers, averaging 10.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1 steal per game, shooting 42% from the field and 38 from the three-point field. %. During the 2020 offseason, Pope completed a three-year contract extension with the Lakers for $39 million. But in the following 2020-21 season, the Lakers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs due to injuries and other reasons. After the season, the Lakers sent Pope, Kuzma, Harrell and a first-round pick to the Wizards in exchange for Westbrook. Last season with the Wizards, Pope played 77 games, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals per game, shooting 43.5% from the field and 39% from three-point range.
Pope is not a star player, but he is conscientious on the court and is a good championship puzzle piece. Pope does not occupy the ball, can be a fixed-point shooter, and spares no effort in defense. The Lakers won the championship in the 2019-20 season. Pope, Danny Green and Caruso all performed well. But after the Lakers won the championship, they first traded Danny Green for Schroeder , and then traded Pope, Kuzma, and Harrell for Westbrook. They have not yet renewed their contract with Caruso, leaving three outstanding players behind. All the championship guards were sent away, replaced by Schroeder and Westbrook, who had no defense and no three-pointers. The Lakers fell from a championship team to missing the play-offs in just 2 years, which is not unrelated to their poor offseason operations.
Speaking of the Nuggets, although they were eliminated by the Warriors 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs last season, the Nuggets next season are worth looking forward to. Next season, Murray and Porter Jr. will all return from injury, and the Nuggets have a strong lineup. As Malone said, next season the Nuggets will be able to line up a starting lineup of Murray, Pope, Porter Jr., Gordon, and Jokic, with Jeff Green, Ismael, and Can on the bench. With Pazzo, Hylander, Bruce Brown, and other heroes, the West has added another championship team.
The Nuggets reached the Western Conference Finals in 2020, but Murray was reimbursed for the second consecutive season, making them lack of competitiveness in the past two years. After 2 years of waiting, we will wait and see whether the Nuggets can take off next season!
