Adios: 5 Potential Destinations for Jose Calderon
Prior to the start of the 2010-2011 season, many basketball fans in the great city of Toronto were crying out for a single cause–to trade Raptors PG Jose Calderon.
Many felt that Jarrett Jack was the better fit and that getting rid of Jose's ludicrous contract was the best course of action. In hindsight, it appears that Colangelo dealt the right point guard, by shipping Jack to New Orleans for combo guard Jerryd Bayless.
The trade has done wonders for Calderon this season, allowing him to regain the form he had when he was awarded such a lofty contract several years ago. However, it is a mutual sentiment among Torontonians that Calderon is not the answer at point guard .
Calderon's rejuvenation this season has tremendously boosted his trade value and there are several teams around the league in need of a gifted pass-first point guard.
Here are five potential landing spots for Jose.
New York
1 of 5
Yes, it is true that at the moment, the Knicks already have a great leader at point guard in Chauncey Billups.
However, Billups is 34 years old and it remains to be seen how many years he still has left in the league.
Calderon would fit in beautifully with Mike D'Antoni's high-octane offense and he has two elite options on the court with Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire.
A passer of his caliber would be a great addition to an up-and-coming team like New York.
Orlando
2 of 5
Jose Calderon might be the missing piece for an Orlando team that has been knocking on the championship door for a few years.
Nelson is a serviceable point guard, but he does not have the court vision and pass-first mentality that Calderon does.
Calderon could be the player that puts this team over the top.
Portland
3 of 5
Andre Miller has not been an ideal fit for the Portland Trail Blazers and they could use a change at the point guard position.
Portland would be a great landing spot for Calderon, since their team defense would help mask some of Calderon's defensive liabilities.
He would be able to run the offense better than Miller and get easy looks for Aldridge and Wallace.
Sacramento
4 of 5
Beno Udrih has been an decent option at point guard, but Sacramento (or Anaheim, if you prefer) could use an upgrade at point guard.
Calderon would be an excellent fit, with good young options like Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton and DeMarcus Cousins.
It would also allow Evans to play off the ball and penetrate.
Atlanta
5 of 5
When the Atlanta Hawks traded for Kirk Hinrich at the trade deadline, they thought they had found their answer at point guard.
However, things have not panned out as planned, with Hinrich having his fair share of struggles to run the offense.
Enter Calderon, a natural passer and point guard problem was solved.
Calderon may be able to push the Hawks beyond the second-round exits that we have become so accustomed to.
With a plethora of options like Josh Smith, Al Horford and Joe Johnson, Calderon might find a home in Atlanta.
