Knicks Trade Rumors: Analyzing Deadline Buzz on Jose Calderon and More
The New York Knicks took a big step toward wiping the slate clean for (hopefully) a new era of success by coming to a buyout agreement Monday with the worn-down Amar'e Stoudemire, and there is the potential for other moves before Thursday's trade deadline.
The red wine-bathing power forward quickly moved on from the Big Apple and signed with the Dallas Mavericks, per RealGM.com's Shams Charania. For teams looking to sell at the trade deadline, that's another contender presumably less likely to engage in trade talks.
Even though it seems we're headed for a quiet deadline, there has been little to silence the chatter and rumors in the days and hours leading up to Thursday's trade moratorium. New York, the epitome of a seller as the owner of the league's worst record (10-34), figures to be involved. Whether or not it can make a splash, or any move at all, remains to be seen.
There are three veterans whose names have cropped up in recent trade rumors. According to Newsday's Al Iannazzone, the Knicks are looking to trade Jose Calderon and Pablo Prigioni.
Calderon remains a solid second option at point guard on a stronger team. He's averaging 9.3 points, 4.6 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game this season. Prigioni has mostly been absent from the rotation, playing just 18.5 minutes per game.
The 33-year-old Calderon is the more attractive player of the two, but the roughly $15.1 million he's owed over the next two seasons could prove prohibitive. According to Yahoo Sports' Marc J. Spears, he and another Knick are apparently unlikely to be dealt at this juncture.
"It’s doubtful Andrea Bargnani or Jose Calderon will be traded," Spears writes, "but a smaller deal could happen, a source said."
Houston could use a pass-first point guard like Calderon to share minutes with Patrick Beverley, but as a legitimate title contender in the West, it may be looking for a bigger catch at the deadline. Of course, Calderon does have championship experience and could be had for a cut-rate price if the Knicks feel pressure to unload him.
Cleveland could use point guard depth behind Kyrie Irving. Considering it has a star at the position (unlike Houston), it may be in the market for a minor upgrade like Calderon. Bleacher Report's Adam Fromal suggested that moving Calderon is such a necessary move that the Knicks need not expect future assets in return:
"The veteran point guard isn't worth that kind of price tag to a rebuilding organization hoping to make some big free-agency splashes, and that's why it's better for them to sell him at a discount now.
The Knicks don't have to get anything big for the sharpshooting floor general's services. A mere expiring deal will do just fine.
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As for Prigioni, his age (37) could serve as a trade barrier, not to mention his $1.7 million salary for next season. He's hardly pricey, but the contract might preclude him from rental duties. Plus, if the team is able to move Calderon, he may be worth keeping around as cheap, veteran depth at point guard.
Bargnani would also seemingly have little trade value. The 29-year-old center has played in all of four games this season, and his numbers have declined sharply in recent years.
| 2011-12 | 31 | 33.3 | 19.5 | .432 | 5.5 | 2.0 | 17.9 |
| 2012-13 | 35 | 28.7 | 12.7 | .399 | 3.7 | 1.1 | 11.2 |
| 2013-14 | 42 | 29.9 | 13.3 | .442 | 5.3 | 1.1 | 14.5 |
| 2014-15 | 4 | 13.3 | 6.0 | .364 | 2.8 | 0.5 | 10.3 |
Iannazzone also noted in his column that Bargnani was a buyout candidate alongside Stoudemire. Considering the Knicks pulled the trigger on Stoudemire, it's likely they do the same with Bargnani unless a team comes in with an attractive offer.
He does become a free agent at the end of this season, so it's possible the team just rides it out for this year, although that would leave it with a hefty cap hold to work around this summer.
There aren't any big moves to be made for the Knicks at the deadline, but that's what happens when you bottom out.
Even if the team is unable to procure decent assets in return for the three veterans mentioned, it could be worth it to move them for lesser offers and open up minutes for younger players like Shane Larkin or perhaps even call up Thanasis Antetokounmpo and see what he can do at the top level.
"We're still becoming the team we want to be," said head coach Derek Fisher, per Iannazzone. "Right now, we're learning the hard way that we aren't there yet."
Removing Stoudemire from the picture clears up a roster spot for the Knicks, and shedding more salary should be an imperative after the buyout. Thanks to their glamorous location, the Knicks could benefit from the expected leap in cap space with the league's hefty new television contract.
As Grantland's Zach Lowe notes, moribund franchises with eternally attractive qualities like the Knicks and Lakers could (and should) set themselves up for a big free-agency push in the next couple of years:
"As I’ve been writing since the summer, an unprecedented cap increase raises thorny complications — including the possibility that super-talented teams might luck into a random one-year blip of cap flexibility. Big-market sad sacks like the Knicks and Lakers could offer two or even three huge salary slots to the loaded class of 2016.
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It would make sense then for the Knicks to develop as many young players as they can within the organization and work to shed off deadweight veterans. Of course, the tricky part will be finding a willing buyer for their spare parts, with so many contenders having already made puzzle-piece moves.
Contract info courtesy of Spotrac unless otherwise noted.
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