NBA Trade Scenarios: 4 Teams That Must Pursue Jose Calderon

The Raptors have let it be known they are open to swapping their star point guard, Jose Calderon. Calderon is averaging 8.4 assists per game, good for sixth best in the NBA. He is a quality distributor, even on such a subpar team. It would be interesting to see what he could do with better weapons around him. 

Reportedly, the Raptors are thinking more of the future than the present and are wanting a starting point guard in return. That limits the spectrum quite a bit. Here are some trade ideas for teams that are at least looking for an upgrade at point guard. 

The trades all have two things in common: They all pass the trade machine and they all theoretically add wins to the team that is acquiring him. Of course, you can take that with the proverbial grain of salt. 

Utah Jazz

Utah has been winning, and they are a surprisingly good team this season. There have been reports, though, that they are looking to shop Devin Harris, who hasn't been up to snuff.

A trade of Harris and a draft pick for Calderon works well for both teams. The type of offense the Jazz want from Harris, an uptempo, push-the-ball kind of distributor, is the kind Caldeorn provides. The Jazz could throw in a draft pick to sweeten the deal. 

Orlando Magic

The Magic need to do something if they aren't going to trade Howard. One thing that could help them is a player who can create shots for others, and Calderon is that type of player. He would make the Magic a better team than Jameer Nelson ever could.

With all the three-point shooters on that team and his ability to get the ball to them, as well as to Howard in the post, it would be a gain for the Magic. 

A straight-up trade works with money, but it's not enough return for Toronto. However, the Raptors are looking to the future, not the present, so Nelson and first-round pick to Toronto for Calderon works for both teams. 

Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers need a true facilitator, and Jose Calderon is just that. Once again, though, the problem becomes what the Raptors get back. 

A possibility is Steve Blake and Metta World Peace for Calderon. Supposedly, it adds two wins to the Lakers. 

It would give the Lakers a bona fide distributor, and it would give the Raptors a solid defensive player, something they don't have right now. Of course, this thing would all be torn apart if World Peace doesn't like the idea of playing in Canada. 

New York Knicks

I feel a compulsion to put the Knicks on this list because everyone knows the Knicks need a point guard. The problem is that the Knicks have so much money wrapped up in three players that any significant trade needs to involve one of them. 

Right now, the only trade that is possible (though, whether it's plausible is an entirely different matter) is Calderon and Andrea Bargnani for Amare Stoudemire. Whether that works for the Knicks and their fans is another matter. 

According to the ESPN Trade Machine, it gives them nine more wins, for whatever that's worth. It does work for Toronto in giving them a) a star player under contract for a long time and b) the chance to be worse this year, which improves their lottery situation.