The New York Knicks might be coming off a solid win over the Cleveland Cavaliers, upsetting LebRon James' highly anticipated homecoming, but they could have some concerns down the road when it comes to depth. The team is already down two starters who are expected to miss multiple weeks. With quality bench players already coming into question, the Knicks are likely calling off all trade talk for the time being.
The Knicks announced that point guard Jose Calderon will be out for the next three weeks following a calf strain. The point guard was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Dallas Mavericks that sent Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton away. Calderon was expected to be an immediate contributor, giving the Knicks a true point guard for the position. Losing Calderon while still attempting to figure out the triangle offense could put a strain on things.
The Knicks are not exactly deep at the point guard position. For now, it becomes the Shane Larkin show who was also acquired in the offseason, while pressure mounts on shooting guards like Iman Shumpert and JR Smith. For that reason, any idea that either player could be traded is very slim. There is fear that this calf injury could linger for Calderon, much like hamstring injuries which will put the Knicks in a tough spot. New York has Pablo Prigioni for depth while Smith and Shumpert have spent time at the position and could rotate in if need be. That means neither player is going anywhere.
Meanwhile the Knicks are having the same issue with some of their size. Andrea Bargnani continues to sit out with hamstring issues which is letting players like Quincy Acy and Amar'e Stoudemire get time at the starting spot. The Knicks have some size depth to work with on the roster, but still cannot afford injuries. After losing their home opener, the Knicks bounced back with a win against Cleveland, but the team notes that improvement is still needed.
"We got our party spoiled [Wednesday] night,'' said Anthony, via the New York Post. "It's always good to return the favor to somebody else, especially in this hostile environment. To lock in and steal this game, we'll take that. It could've distracted us. We did a great job of embracing the moment. It's a great win for us. Great road win. It tested us mentally to see how we'd bounce back from [Wednesday].''
