The New York Knicks traded for Jose Calderon this past offseason with the hopes that he helped stabilize the point guard position. The New York Knicks rotated several players at the position last season and were hopeful that Calderon would be that long-term option. However, it was soon realized that Phil Jackson merely looked at the veteran as a trade piece and now New York is growing desperate to move his big contract.
According to Marc Spears of Yahoo Sports, the Knicks are doing everything they possibly can to trade Calderon before the deadline. While most teams are looking at Pablo Prigioni as the potential trade target this year, the Knicks are pushing for Calderon instead. The need to trade Calderon comes down to his contract. The point guard is owed $7.4 million in 2015 and $7.7 million in 2016. New York simply cannot hold on to that if they plan on getting a better option in free agency over the next two seasons.
That contract is why no one wants to take on Calderon. Yes, the veteran point guard has been playing relatively well on the struggling Knicks. He has had problems fitting into the triangle offense while shooting 41.5 percent from beyond the arc. However, his turnovers are up and his assists are down. All of that combined makes Calderon the least favorable trade.
Several teams are in need of point guard help this season after injuries have hit hard. The Detroit Pistons need to replace Brandon Jennings. The Charlotte Hornets need to replace Kemba Walker. The Cleveland Cavaliers are looking for depth behind Kyrie Irving. However, players like Prigioni and Norris Cole are being favored over Calderon simply because their contracts are cheaper and shorter meaning they are easier to get rid of.
According to Marc Stein of ESPN.com, the Knicks have no desire to retain Calderon for the long-term, but a trade is unlikely at the deadline due to lack of interest. At best, the Knicks could try and trade the point guard at the start of the offseason by packaging him with someone else. The Knicks are aiming to get a point guard they can develop and rely on for years to come. Players like Goran Dragic, Reggie Jackson and Andre Miller could be favored after the trade of Rajon Rondo.
