Jose Calderon Traded to Lakers: Latest Details, Comments and Reaction | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
James Holden The Lakers will take on the veteran's $7.7 million in their salary cap for next season, according to Mike Bresnahan of the TWC SportsNet.
The Lakers announced the trade Thursday, adding they will receive two future second-round picks while the Bulls will receive the draft rights to Ater Majok, who was the 58th pick in the 2011 draft.
The swap comes less than two weeks after the New York Knicks shipped Calderon to Chicago as a part of the deal that sent Derrick Rose to Madison Square Garden.
Sources originally told Turner Sports' David Aldridge on Wednesday that the Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers have "had talks" about a deal involving Calderon, but the teams didn't make a move.
Aldridge noted the Sixers have Jerryd Bayless, who recently agreed to a three-year deal with the team, per ESPN's Marc Stein, and a one-year deal with Spanish point guard Sergio Rodriguez, per The Vertical's Shams Charania, which would bring Calderon into a crowded backcourt in Philly.
Stein also noted the Brooklyn Nets were interested in trading for Calderon before the Lakers stepped in:
Marc Stein @TheSteinLineLakers swoop in and convince Chicago to trade them Jose Calderon ahead of Brooklyn on a wild night, according to league sources
Chicago had Calderon on the market in order to clear up some salary-cap space after Wojnarowski reported earlier on Wednesday that veteran free-agent guard Dwyane Wade will sign with the team.
Wade's reported agreement came just days after the Bulls agreed to a two-year, $28 million deal with point guard Rajon Rondo, per Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated.
Calderon is projected to make $7.7 million, per Spotrac, which freed up enough space for the Bulls to surpass the two-year, $40 million offer the Miami Heat offered Wade to stay, per ESPN.com.
According to CSN Chicago's Vincent Goodwill, the deal for Wade is two years worth $47.5 million.
The 34-year-old Calderon is coming off a two-year stint in New York, where he played some of the worst basketball of his career:
| Years | 2005-2013 | 2013 | 2013-14 | 2014-2016 |
| Games | 525 | 28 | 81 | 114 |
| Points Per Game | 10 | 11.6 | 11.4 | 8.1 |
| Field-Goal % | 48.1 | 52.7 | 45.6 | 44 |
| Effective Field-Goal % | 53.5 | 63.5 | 58.4 | 52.8 |
| Assists Per Game | 7.2 | 6.6 | 4.7 | 4.4 |
Source: Basketball-Reference.com
In a triangle offense that was one of the league's worst, Calderon, along with Langston Galloway, had to try to be the floor general of team president Phil Jackson's attacking scheme.
With Carmelo Anthony as its central figure, the Knicks offense was in the NBA's bottom four in each of the past two seasons.
Outside of the triangle offense, Calderon proved to be a reliable scorer and facilitator who could lead offenses with big names.
With the Toronto Raptors, he worked well with Chris Bosh before Bosh joined the Miami Heat, while Dirk Nowitzki was the main man with the Dallas Mavericks when Calderon was there in 2013-14.
There were also nights when he could carry an offense:
The Lakers were able to take advantage of the Bulls' desperation to unload Calderon as they acquired a veteran player who can not only offer another option behind D'Angelo Russell, but can also help tutor the young guard as he enters his second year in the NBA.
