With cap space to spare and free agency winding down, the Los Angeles Lakers made a smart move and acquired a pair of second-round picks from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for absorbing the contract of veteran point guard Jose Calderon. Fortunately, the 34-year-old Calderon can still fill a role for the Lakers as a backup for D’Angelo Russell.
Calderon has spent most of his NBA career as a starter, but he frustrated New York Knicks fans for the past two seasons with his sub-par defense. However, in an interview with Marc Berman of the New York Post, Calderon admitted that he is ready to come off the bench, and probably should have been in that role for the past few seasons:
“I was ready for a different role and I was ready for a different role the last couple of years.