With the NBA trade deadline approaching, the point guard position is a priority for many teams in both the short-term and long-term sense. Several playoff-contending teams are short at the spot thanks to injuries while others are hoping to get a jumpstart on their rosters for 2015 and beyond. There are several options on the table and the New York Knicks are hoping to get Jose Calderon at the top of someone's list.
According to ESPN's Marc Stein, the New York Knicks are desperate to rid themselves of Calderon and his high-priced contract. The veteran point guard is a big cap hit over the next two years and one the Knicks have no intentions of keeping heading into a pivotal free agency run. While Calderon was originally brought on to stabilize the position alongside Carmelo Anthony, team president Phil Jackson did not expect New York to be this bad and is now seeking major roster changes as a result.
"Like nothing I've seen before," Jackson said, via the New York Times. "So far, my experiment has fallen flat on its face. I'm not daunted by the number of people who have commented that this way of playing is arcane, that the game has moved on. The game has moved on. I think it's still debatable about how basketball is going to be played, what's going to win out."
As result, a number of players are on the trade block and Calderon is first in line for a trade. Jackson would prefer to trade Calderon over someone like Pablo Prigioni simply because the veteran's contract is a bigger hit. Calderon is still respected in the NBA despite his down numbers this season and he could still be a valuable asset to a team throughout his contract. However, the Knicks will have to drastically lower their expectations of what to receive in return for the point guard as no one will give up that much for Calderon.
The Los Angeles Lakers could potentially be a landing spot for Calderon. The team is looking for a long-term point guard option to help replace Steve Nash and Jeremy Lin in 2015. They were considered favorites to sign Rajon Rondo until he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Calderon would likely come cheap and pair well with Jordan Clarkson. The Lakers are being linked to deals for players like Norris Cole, Reggie Jackson and Goran Dragic. If those fail to develop, Calderon could have some interest around him.
