New York Knicks Rumors: Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon To Be Traded?
New York Knicks Rumors: Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani On The Move?
Even when they aren’t playing well, the New York Knicks will always find their way into the headlines. Their lengthy losing streak has people talking, but the trade rumors surrounding some of their veterans is also catching the attention of people. The Knicks are very active on the trade front according to sources, with Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani being the two most frequent names thrown around.
Phil Jackson has been in the forefront, taking blame for the Knicks’ current state of affairs and poor record under first-year head coach Derek Fisher. Jackson said that no one should be surprised if the club continues to overhaul the roster through the NBA Trade Deadline on February 19th.
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These new rumors are coming after the Knicks began the to purge their roster just about a week ago, when Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith were shipped to the Cleveland Cavaliers as part of a three-team trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder. In addition to Shumpert and Smith, Samuel Dalembert and his non-guaranteed contract were shown the door as well, as he was waived.
Plenty of people are saying that the Knicks didn’t receive nearly enough for Shumpert and Smith, but for their long-term plan it fits in perfectly as they cleared more cap space. They also received two trade exceptions which could be of great use as the Knicks attempt and move more pieces off this current roster.
Calderon is a popular player around the NBA, as the veteran sharpshooter would fit on almost any team. He has struggled this season on both ends of the court, but if he was to land in a better situation, say a veteran-laden team in the playoff hunt, much like the Dallas Mavericks team the Knicks acquired him from this past offseason, you should see a spike in his production.
The thing that team’s do not like about Calderon is the contract that he carries. Calderon is owed more than $15 million the next two seasons, which is a tough pill to swallow for a team taking on a 33-year old point guard. Athleticism has never been the strength of Calderon’s game, but his struggles on the defensive end will be exposed more the older he gets.
In steps potentially Bargnani. Bargnani the player isn’t attractive to teams, but the contract that he carries could be something another team targets. Bargnani has played only 22 minutes all season, and has been an utter bust since the Knicks traded for him prior to the 2013-2014 season, but that $11.5 million expiring contract could be extremely useful. The Knicks could be used as a third team to facilitate a bigger trade using Bargnani’s expiring contract to sweeten the pot for a team if Calderon is to be included. In those kind of trades, the Knicks could try getting a pick of some sort in return, much like the Philadelphia 76ers have been doing the past couple of seasons to build up assets.
If Bargnani cannot be included in a trade, there is a chance the Knicks could just waive the 2003 No.1 overall pick and just eat the remainder of his contract. That should be a last case scenario for the Knicks, as they should first attempt to exhaust all trade options involving Bargnani and try getting something back before just releasing him.
Surprisingly absent from these trade rumors are Amar’e Stoudemire. Stoudemire has had a strong season, but it has been derailed recently as his knee woes once again have popped back up after being overused earlier in the season. Right now the Knicks are expected to hold onto STAT for the remainder of the season, which is a good idea. Stoudemire has loved every minute of being a Knick, even when the team is struggling like they currently are.
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The reluctance to trade Stoudemire could also give a peak into the future plans of the Knicks, as Stoudemire is a candidate to be a part of them. Stoudemire has showed that even in limited playing time he is an effective player. This season Stoudemire was averaging only 26.4 minutes per game, but has pulled down 7.4 rebounds per game and continues to be extremely efficient offensively, shooting 55.8 percent from the field. At a reduced price, Stoudemire could be a potent weapon off the bench for the Knicks if they indeed are able to add more talent to the roster this offseason through the draft and free agency.
That much Jackson has made clear, as he continues to purge the roster that was given to him in the name of a culture change. But in all honesty, this is the easy part for Jackson and the Knicks’ front office; the hard part will be after the season once he has to put his money where his mouth is and upgrade a roster that is deficient of talent.