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Just like that, the Dallas Mavericks have been transported back to the 2010-11 NBA season. The team agree to a trade with the New York Knicks to land star center Tyson Chandler, who was a key cog in their championship run just four years ago.
Chandler had grown frustrated in New York due to injuries and losing, while the trade looks like a fantastic deal for both sides. In shipping off a still effective Chandler, the Knicks opened the door to bring in bigger free agents, while also packaging the regressing and troubled Raymond Felton in the deal. In return, the Knicks received trading chips Samuel Dalembert and Shane Larkin, while also got a point guard upgrade in the form of veteran sharpshooter, Jose Calderon.
Dallas struggled mightily to replace Chandler following his departure in free agency in 2011, which culminated in a failed grouping of Dalembert, Brandon Wright and DeJuan Blair this past season. Still in his prime at 31 years old, a healthy Chandler can still be a game-changer in terms of rebounding and shot-blocking.
Specifically, the presence of Chandler takes pressure off of Dirk Nowitzki down low on the defensive side, and should also make life easier on the role players in the post for the Mavs.
In New York, Calderon helps New York’s outside shooting and also gives the team a better facilitator at the lead guard spot than they’ve had the past fews years. No one knows for sure how this trade works in Phil Jackson’s end game to lure Carmelo Anthony back to the Knicks – of if that’s even his ultimate goal.
All we know for sure is that the Knicks aren’t done just yet and it’s quite possible the roster changes have only just begun. In fact, according to reports, the Knicks are also shopping two of the players they received in the Candler trade – Larkin and Dalembert. Supposedly being shopped separately, the two players could help the Knicks acquire other players, free up extra cap space or bring in more draft picks.
