Jose Calderon has heard the talk for over a year now. The point guard has not exactly been a fan favorite since arriving in New York, but the Knicks have remained committed to him mainly because his contract dictates they have to. The New York Post reported during last season's trade deadline that Phil Jackson would have loved to get rid of Calderon and his contract, but the point guard remains on the roster and it is expected to stay that way for the near future.
Calderon has improved this season. It has not been enough to take his name out of the trade rumors, but it has been enough to get some of the scoring pressure off the shoulders of Carmelo Anthony which is all the Knicks ask for right now. The point guard had a solid game against the Minnesota Bucks after struggling against the San Antonio Spurs. He remains confident that he can impact the team in a positive way.
"This is me,'' Calderon said, via the New York Post. "As a player and a person, I try to do my best every night. Some nights it works better than others. I know guys want a 30-point point guard, but that's not me.''
ESPN.com's Ian Begley has reported that the lack of consistency from Calderon has forced the Knicks to eye backcourt help at the trade deadline. The Knicks have Jerian Grant and Langston Galloway for the future, but they need a short-term player to help this season. Begley reports the Knicks do not want someone that could count against the salary cap next season as Brandon Jennings, DJ Augustin, Aaron Brooks, Jamal Crawford and Ty Lawson all have contracts that are easy to obtain. The Knicks might not be willing to give up assets in the deal which could be what impacts their decision the most.
Head coach Derek Fisher has been quick to defend Calderon. He noted that the point guard has struggled with a different role in the triangle offense while some of the fan talk has gotten into his head. Not to mention he dealt with injuries last year that made progress slow. For now the Knicks will stick with Calderon as Grant and Galloway come off the bench. If that continues to consistently work, the Knicks will not make any trade deals for the time being.
"Jose's doing his job,'' Fisher said, via the Post. "I definitely can relate to his experiences being in a system as the lead guard who isn't asked to do the same things point guards on other are asked to do and it may look like you're not as capable at doing things on certain nights. That's frustrating because you know you're asked to do more if asked. The equalizer is winning.
