Jose Calderon continues to not help himself when it comes to his future with the New York Knicks. Team president Phil Jackson did his best to get rid of the point guard prior to the trade deadline, but not a single team was interested in acquiring his contract. Likely to finish out the year, an injury could really hurt his standings even more. Denying a shutdown will happen, doubt is high surrounding Calderon.
Calderon left in the fourth quarter of the Knicks' loss to the Boston Celtics with a sore left Achilles. He extended the game in a walking boot and is expected to meet with doctors prior to the game against the Detroit Pistons. Calderon admits that he is uncertain exactly how severe the injury is. The point guard dealt with the issue earlier in the season which caused his debut with the team to be delay. Calderon stresses that he is hopeful this is not a long-term issue and just a little re-aggravated pain.
If Calderon is not healthy, there is no point in playing him. If the point guard gets injured further, there is no chance the Knicks can trade him come the offseason. While shutting down Calderon would really put a strain on the roster depth for the Knicks considering they are also without Carmelo Anthony and just let go of Amar'e Stoudemire. Without the point guard, Alexey Shved and Shane Larkin will have to step up in his place.
There have been very few bright spots for the Knicks this season. The 2014-15 year has essentially been a wash, but one player has emerged as a diamond in the rough. Langston Galloway worked through two 10-day contracts to ink a contract extension that goes through next year. The undrafted rookie point guard has shown real potential for the Knicks and could be a player they favor for the future. Galloway might not be ready to be the full-time guard, but he is an excellent option coming off the bench.
The point guard position will be one of focus in free agency for the Knicks. The team is still keeping a close eye on Rajon Rondo and Goran Dragic despite their recent trades. Brandon Jennings could also be an option along with Reggie Jackson. Calderon could easily be released with Galloway taking over the backcourt tandem.
