NBA Trade Rumors 2014: Knicks Send Tyson Chandler & Raymond Felton to Dallas Mavericks
Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton must now buy one-way tickets to Dallas, as Phil Jackson's overhaul commenced just before the NBA Draft.
In what the New York Post calls a blockbuster deal between Jackson's New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks, Chandler and Felton were sent to Dallas for point guard Jose Calderon, shot-blocking center Samuel Dalembert, point guard Shane Larkin, shooting guard Wayne Ellington and two second-round picks.
In getting the veteran Calderon and the young prospect Larkin, who had an injury-marred rookie year, the Knicks have moved on from the Felton era, upgraded their point-guard position and acquired the 34th and 51st picks.
"The journey to build this team for the upcoming season and beyond continues," Jackson said in statement Wednesday night, adding the new players "will fit right into our system while maintaining future flexibility.''
The deal was announced officially after it was approved by the league Wednesday evening, with the draft picks, previously nil, a cause for major sighs of relief.
The trade also responded to the NBA's salary cap, the Wall Street Journal said, which will be $63.2 million next season, allowing the organization more flexibility to sign low-level or mid-level free agents this summer.
By trading the players, the Knicks drop Chandler's $14.5-million salary for 2014-15 as well as Felton's $4.4-million contract—shaving around $8 million off the club's salary commitments for next season, weighed against the incoming salaries from Dallas.
The move should give Carmelo Anthony, who has well-known intentions to leave the Knicks, more hope about the future, the New York post remarked. Calderon solidifies the point-guard position, the Knicks' weakest, with sweet figures to show for it—10.2 points, on 47.9-percent shooting, 41.1-percent from 3-point range; and 6.8 assists in 634 games over nine seasons with the Raptors, Pistons and Mavericks.
It was no secret that Chandler had an uncertain future with the Knicks. He didn't seem to be the prototype Jackson center, the report said. Felton, on the other hand, underperformed last season, the New York Times added.
Chandler was a defensive linchpin for the Mavericks when they won the NBA championship in 2011. However, the same report said, the past season went awry with a broken foot and a sparring incident with Mike Woodson, then the team's coach. The Mavs also take in Felton, who was often injured, struggled to run the offense, and ran into off-the-court trouble.
Dalembert is a serviceable spot starter for the Knicks. The 6-foot-11 Haitian averaged 7.8 points on a career-best 56.8-percent shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 1.18 blocks over 20.2 minutes in 80 games (68 starts) last season. Larkin, on the other hand, played in just 48 games as a rookie and had a brief stint in the D-League.
Where are the Knicks going to use their picks? They could take Florida center Patric Young or Arizona combo guard Nick Johnson, the New York Post said.