The New York Knicks want to trade Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani.
No word yet on what their third and final wish will be.
From ESPN.com’s Ian Begley and Marc Stein:
The New York Knicks are actively trying to trade veterans Jose Calderon and Andrea Bargnani as part of their ongoing roster clear-out, according to league sources.
But sources stressed to ESPN.com that trying to trade away Amar’e Stoudemire is not part of the club’s current plans.
Knicks president Phil Jackson, in publicly taking the blame for the team’s dreadful record under rookie coach Derek Fisher, said Saturday that “no one should be surprised” if the club continues to reshape its roster through deals prior to the Feb. 19 trade deadline.
But sources maintain that the Knicks are not looking to move Stoudemire and, at least for now, intend to keep him for the rest of the season. That could lead to Stoudemire, who has relished his time with the Knicks despite the club’s struggles, re-signing with them over the summer at a reduced rate. The 32-year-old former All-Star, who has been plagued by knee injuries in recent years, is playing out the final year of his current contract worth $23.4 million.
Calderon, meanwhile, has no shortage of admirers around the league despite his struggles this season, averaging a mere 9.2 points per game on 40 percent shooting. But the two years left on his contract after this season — worth $15.1 million — could make it difficult to move the 33-year-old Spaniard, who arrived in New York in late June as the Knicks’ foremost return in the Tyson Chandler deal with Dallas.
Sources say Bargnani is a candidate to be waived next month if New York can’t find a deal for the former No. 1 overall pick and his $11.5 million expiring contract.
So many things.
First, if the Knicks re-sign Amar’e Stoudemire, I’ll be shocked. There’s no doubt signing him to a discounted deal might help them maintain second-unit production or plug in a super-cheap starter, but the price would have to be incredibly low. Like, veteran’s minimum low. Stoudemire has been the consummate professional in New York, but he’s injury-prone and, despite an obvious work ethic, cannot figure out how to play defense.
Second, moving Calderon makes sense. His contract extends beyond this season. Shipping him out in favor of an expiring deal gives the Knicks another $7.4 million worth of cap room to burn through this summer. And, as we should all know, the Knicks’ primary building block is cap space. That’s why Phil Jackson was brought in. It wasn’t to install the triangle, burn incense, tweak the Knicks’ chi or gift players with autographed copies of his book. They’re paying him $60 million over the next five years for his rings, and the mystique they have. Free agents will want to get some of that hardware, playing for an experienced winner, who isn’t coaching, yet has full control of the organization. That’s the thinking anyway.
Third, dealing Bargs is whatever. No one’s going to take him. He’s played 22 minutes thus far this season. If the Knicks offered Bargs and Calderon for, say, Deron Williams’ insanely priced contract, then maybe something gets cooking.
Fourth, and finally, the Knicks won’t be making moves just to make moves. Unless they’re acquiring a superstar, they’d be foolish to take on long-term salary. Financial flexibility, this year’s first-round pick and a hopefully healthy Carmelo Anthony are their three main—and therefore lone—free-agency selling points. Jackson won’t put those tools in jeopardy of being prematurely wasted or compromised.
Not with the Knicks going nowhere fast, and seemingly light years away from going anywhere meaningful at all.
