Trade Candidate: Jose Calderon
Jose Calderon might have played his way off the trade block for the moment, but his $10.56MM expiring contract is one of the most intriguing assets that could be up for grabs this year. The team acquiring Calderon has the choice of clearing a significant chunk of cap space, or re-signing a point guard who has finished four out of the last five seasons among the top five players in assists per game. That flexibility may pique interest from a wide selection of teams, and the Raptors wisely appear to be trying to package Calderon with another, less palatable asset, like Andrea Bargnani.
Calderon is by no means a game-changing player. While he has consistently proven his worth as a distributor, which makes him popular figure in the locker room, he's proven incapable of carrying the Raptors on his shoulders, as Toronto has only been a better-than-.500 team once during Calderon's tenure. The eighth-year veteran has never averaged more than 12.8 points per game. His career scoring average sits a hair below double figures at 9.9 PPG. At 6'3", he doesn't provide any help on the boards, having grabbed 2.5 rebounds per game for his career. This year his 44.1% shooting is off from the 48.2% form he displayed over his first seven seasons. That decline, however, is likely a product of the fact he's taking significantly more three pointers than ever, at 4.8 attempts per game compared to his career average of 2.1 coming into the season, and nailing 42.9% of them, a rate that would tie the personal best he set back in 2007/08. His PER, at 18.2 this season and 17.4 for his career, helps show his relatively high value to a team.
Nonetheless, the Raptors have shown consistent reluctance to commit to him as the starter over his career, in spite of the five-year, $45MM deal he received in 2008. He's competed over the years with Jalen Rose, T.J. Ford, Jarrett Jack and now Kyle Lowry for the point guard job, and while he may have nosed in front of Lowry for the moment, history suggests he shouldn't get too comfortable in that role. GM Bryan Colangelo has been in charge of the front office for the vast majority of Calderon's time in Toronto, and he was in place when the Spaniard got his lucrative five-year deal. Yet with uncertainty about Colangelo's future with the Raptors, much less Calderon's, there's no telling whether the Raptors would re-sign Calderon next summer even if he were interested in coming back.
Even with Calderon's contract coming off the books, the Raptors figure to be at or near the salary cap in the offseason, so they'd receive virtually no benefit from letting him walk. Unless the Raptors intend to re-sign him, they're much better off trading him. While there are a number of possible fits, there's been little chatter about any specific team other than the Lakers, for whom Calderon was the "top target" a few weeks ago, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. That might have changed, however, as the return of Steve Nash appears to have reinvigorated the team just as L.A. hoped. The Lakers are standing pat for now, with Steve Blake coming back from his abdominal surgery, their need for Calderon lessens by the day. A more intriguing possibility might be the Mavs, though that's just my speculation. Point guard Darren Collison has been a significant disappointment for Dallas this year, and the Mavs have made no secret of their affinity for contracts that expire next summer. They wouldn't want Bargnani or another of Toronto's long-term contracts, but if GM Donnie Nelson is patient and willing to part with two of the team's three draft picks from 2012, he might force the Raptors into moving Calderon without pairing him with a more burdensome contract close to the trade deadline, when Toronto is left to consider the possibility of losing the point guard for nothing over the summer.
Calderon acknowledges and seems to be at peace with the notion that he could be on his way out of the only NBA city he's ever known. Such a stance also hints that he's ready to move on as a free agent next summer. His contract includes a 10% trade kicker that any club acquiring him will have to pay, but I think eventually Toronto will make it worth a team's while to do so. Lowry is five years younger and is on a better deal. He, and not Calderon, represents the future of the point guard position in Toronto, even if he's been benched for the present time.
Southwest Notes: Dirk, White, Hornets, Leonard
The latest news and notes from around the Southwest Division on New Year's Day:
- Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com thinks the Mavericks should start Dirk Nowitzki. They had previously been bringing him off the bench to ease his integration back into the rotation.
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that the Rockets are considering suspending suspending Royce White for his recent refusal of their D-League assignment.
- Hornets coach Monty Williams understands that the development of his young players is more important that making the playoffs in the short term.
- Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News praises Kawhi Leonard's recent defensive impact for the Spurs.
D-League Moves: Warriors, Wroten, Samuels
Today's D-League assignments and recalls:
- Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Tyler continue to bounce back and forth between Golden State and Santa Cruz, having been re-assigned to the D-League by the Warriors. The team announced the move in a press release.
- The Grizzlies have recalled Tony Wroten from their D-League affiliate, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). The rookie guard had just been sent to the Reno Bighorns last Wednesday.
- The Cavs announced that they have recalled Samardo Samuels from the D-League's Canton Charge. Samuels, who turns 24 in January, has seen time in 18 games for Cleveland so far this year.
- The Mavericks announced today that they have recalled Jared Cunningham from the Texas Legends of the D-League. During his seven game stint with the Legends he averaged 18.1 points, 3.0 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.0 steals in 37 minutes per contest.
- The Hornets announced that they have assigned forward Darius Miller to the D-League's Iowa Energy. Miller has appeared in 23 games this season for the Hornets, averaging 2.0 points, 1.7 rebounds and 1.0 assist per game. New Orleans drafted the 6'8" Kentucky product with the 46th overall pick in the 2012 draft.
Southwest Notes: Nowitzki, Jackson
Dirk Nowitzki says that despite his team's poor place in the standings, their goal is still the playoffs, according to ESPN.com's Tim MacMahon. If Nowitzki's thoughts are shared by Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, this could indicate that the team is a buyer, instead of a seller, before the trade deadline.
- According to a tweet from NBA.com's Earl K. Sneed, Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle says that any evaluation of Nowitzki's play should be held off until the middle of January. Nowitzki made his season debut last week after undergoing knee surgery earlier this year.
- The Spurs love the "edge" guard Stephen Jackson gives them, according to Star-Telegram.com's Dwain Price.
Odds & Ends: Jazz, Hamilton, Gelabale, Ahearn
A few Sunday morning odds and ends from around the Association:
- Given the number of Western Conference contenders with strong frontcourts, Lang Greene of HoopsWorld wonders if the Jazz would be better off hanging to all their big men. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are both in the final seasons of their deals, while Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter are considered Utah's bigs of the future.
- Back in the Bulls' lineup, Richard Hamilton tells Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com that he isn't let trade rumors bother him. "It happens every year," Hamilton said. "Every year, if you ain't in a trade rumor, then you ain't doing something right. That's how I always looked at it. That's the way this game goes, you hear about stuff every day because GMs are talking to different players every day. It's nothing that I even get caught up or think about or anything like that."
- French forward Mickael Gelabale would be open to signing with the Timberwolves if he received a 20-day guarantee, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter). Because all contracts become guaranteed on January 10th, the team can't exactly offer a 20-day guarantee at this point, but the Wolves could be willing to sign Gelabale to a pair of 10-day deals, or perhaps write buyout terms into a contract ahead of time.
- Blake Ahearn, who was released by the Pacers before the season began, has agreed to sign with China's Dongguan Leopards, according to a Weibo report (passed along by HoopsHype).
- With the Mavericks struggling, and at least nine of the team's 15 players set for free agency at season's end, coach Rick Carlisle will have a challenging stretch ahead of him over the next few weeks, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Western Notes: Thunder, Lin, Dwight
HoopsWorld's Susan Bible wonders whether Thunder sophomore Reggie Jackson, with an assist from extra playing time in the D-League, has surpassed Eric Maynor to become the primary backup to Russell Westbrook. Maynor will be a restricted free agent this summer, while Jackson's rookie deal isn't up until 2015. Jackson and Maynor's respective playing time over the last three games have definitely been worth noting, as the former Boston College product has averaged 16.3 MPG to Maynor's 1.3 (including two DNP-CDs). We have more tidbits to share from the Western Conference, and you can find them below:
- Jeremy Lin is becoming a better fit next to James Harden, as Royce Young of CBSSports.com observes. The Rockets have gone 7-2 in their last nine games, with Lin averaging 14.1 PPG and 6.7 APG.
- The Mavericks are hoping that Dwight Howard will leave the Lakers in free agency next summer, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Chuck Myron outlined over the summer, signing Howard appears to be a risky strategy from a salary cap perspective, even if it's possible.
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune provides a fuller picture of Rockets coach Kevin McHale's recent comments about Royce White.
- While former Kings second round draft pick Hassan Whiteside isn't currently under contract with an NBA team, Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside highlights how the 7-footer's recent performances with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League has helped quell some past concerns about his play.
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News thinks that Dan Fegan (the newly hired agent of DeMarcus Cousins) could be instrumental in forcing a trade out of Sacramento with Cousins' chance at a contract extension looming (Twitter link).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Western Notes: Barnes, Douglas-Roberts, White
The Clippers erased a 19-point deficit to the Jazz to win their 16th straight game tonight, but the NBA's best team still only has a one-game lead for the top spot in the Western Conference. The Thunder are tied in the loss column with the Clippers, and the Spurs are just a game and a half back of L.A. As usual, the West is stacked at the top. Here's more on the Clips and the teams trying to chase them down.
- Clippers forward Matt Barnes believes he was "stuck in a bad situation" under former Lakers coach Mike Brown, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes. "Last year, playing with the Lakers, I was told when I could shoot. If I made mistakes, I'd come out of the game," Barnes said. "This year Vinny (Del Negro) has installed a lot of trust in me. He lets me go out there and play my game. If I mess up, he still sticks with me and that goes a long way with any player."
- New Mavericks swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts, writing on his Tumblr account, chronicles his experiences in training camp with the Lakers this fall. He also reveals his decision to turn down a seven-figure contract from a team overseas to play in the D-League, which he felt offered the fastest route back to the NBA (hat tip to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com).
- Royce White's grandfather told Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press that White expects to work out with the Rockets next week (Twitter link). It's unclear whether that means he'll be formally returning to the team.
- JaVale McGee is playing less than 20 minutes per game after re-signing with the Nuggets for four years and $44MM this summer, but coach George Karl said the team doesn't regret committing so much money to him, HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram tweets.
- Michael Scotto of RealGM.com chronicles the journey of Mavs rookie and former Air Force Staff Sergeant Bernard James, including his early experiences in the NBA.
Odds & Ends: Thunder, Cousins, Mavs, Brackins
A few links from around the NBA on the last Friday of 2012:
- The Thunder don't have any interest in making trades at the moment, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Tyreke Evans and DeMarcus Cousins were supposed to be the cornerstones of the Kings' rebuilding project, but with Evans injured and Cousins benched, things have been rocky in Sacramento, says Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
- The Mavericks' front office is flexible and opportunistic, which could make Dallas a logical suitor for Cousins, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. However, as MacMahon outlines, there would likely to have be a lot of moving parts involved to find a trade between the Mavs and Kings.
- For his part, Mark Cuban tells Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News that the Mavericks are "not going to do something just to do something. It’s got to be something that helps us."
- David Mayo of MLive.com also fielded a question about the possibility of a Cousins trade in his latest Pistons mailbag.
- Former Sixers first-round pick Craig Brackins was waived today by Italian team Angelico Biella, according to Emile Martano of Sportando.
Southwest Rumors: Mavericks, Gordon, White
Four of five Southwest Division teams are in action tonight, and the Hornets started the evening off on a postive note by breaking their 11-game losing streak with a victory over the Magic. The Mavericks, in the midst of a three-day layoff surrounding Christmas, are probably in a festive mood, considering Dirk Nowitzki saw his first action of the season in Dallas' last outing. Here's more news on the Mavs and another star making his way back into the lineup.
- The Mavs "will be listening to anybody and everybody who wants to make a move" between now and the trade deadline, and they're particularly interested in finding a point guard, according to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. Sefko chatted with readers about a litany of Mavs-related subjects, and says that although the team will look to make moves, it isn't ready to dismantle the core and give up on making the playoffs just yet.
- Hornets coach Monty Williams believes Eric Gordon could make his debut this season as early as Saturday, as John Reid of the Times Picayune notes. Gordon has been out all year with a patella tendon disorder and a bone bruise in his right knee after a contentious back-and-forth between him and the team during restricted free agency this summer.
- The Associated Press reports that Rockets coach Kevin McHale is "unsure" about Royce White's future with the team, though it sounds like McHale simply hasn't been briefed on the very latest concerning the 16th overall pick, who's yet to play for Houston as he works through his generalized anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Odds & Ends: Varejao, Asik, Pistons, Mavs, Mack
After a busy Christmas Day in the NBA, there's no let-up on Boxing Day, with all but six teams in action later tonight — the Bulls and the Pacers will be two of the teams with today off, after Indiana announced that tonight's game would be postponed due to poor weather conditions. As we look forward to a full evening slate, we'll check in on a few updates from around the NBA:
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio answered reader questions about the Cavaliers in a chat, saying that he believes that if Cleveland is to trade Anderson Varejao, it's likely that would happen this season, with the Cavs looking for a big man and multiple first-round picks in return.
- Omer Asik burned his old team for 20 points and 18 rebounds yesterday, and what makes it even more painful for the Bulls is that backup center has been one of Chicago’s weaknesses this season, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes.
- According to coach Lawrence Frank, the Pistons aren't ready to hand over major minutes to Andre Drummond and other young players at the cost of trying to win games now. If the organization goes in that direction later this season, the club will be upfront about the decision, says Frank. MLive.com's David Mayo has the details.
- The Mavericks also continue to prioritize wins over player development, though coach Rick Carlisle tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that player development is a "major focus of our team."
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman told Shelvin Mack that what prompted the team to sign him wasn't his prior experience with Washington, but his play in the D-League, where he was in the top 10 in both scoring and assists, as Michael Lee of The Washington Post chronicles.
- Mo Williams, playing in a contract year, will be sidelined indefinitely with what the Jazz are calling a "severely sprained" right thumb, says Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.