It's done.
Knicks send Chandler, Felton to Dallas for Calderon, Larkin, Dalembert, Ellington and No. 34 and 51, sources told ESPN. Deal is done.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 25, 2014
My quick insta-thoughts are:
1. I'm really gonna miss Tyson Chandler. He had a rough last year and his health was a recurring issue, but I'd put good money on him bouncing back. He was also going to be an expiring contract, so the get-something-or-let-him-walk-for-nothing dilemma was imminent. I've heard Melo's happy with this trade, so that's cool. Maybe that says something about the Chandler-Melo relationship, I dunno.
2. Getting rid of Raymond Felton's contract (and self) is good. Felton is a bad player on a bad contract. Jose Calderon is a decent player on a worse contract. Remains to be seen if Calderon is someone the Knicks want to build around (because he'll be getting paid like one) or someone they want to trade or something. But again, at least he's decent. Awful defender, but quite a good shooter. Fits the triangle well.
3. Shane Larkin's a fun little dude with potential. His rookie season was thrown off by a broken foot, so I'm not too worried about his numbers last year. If he sucks, he can be disposed of next season.
4. Samuel Dalembert can be kept if the Knicks want him to play center. His money is not guaranteed, so he can also be cut if the Knicks want to save his cash and come pretty damn close to the apron (with some other similar moves).
5. 51 is cool. 34 is very, very cool. You can get a basketball player at 34, and the contract is flexible. I like 34 better than the 29 rumored to be available for Iman Shumpert.
6. The picks weren't mentioned in the deal until later on. When's the last time a trade rumor broke, then subsequent reports *added* stuff to the Knicks' haul? I can't remember that ever happening.
7. We're gonna try to throw together some Know the Prospects for tomorrow, but in the meantime: here's everyone we know the Knicks have worked out.
More to come! Possibly more Knicks moves to come, possibly involving people they just got.
Update: We may not be done!
I'm hearing the Knicks are trying to move Dalembert and Larkin in a separate deal, according to a person familiar with the matter.
— Chris Herring (@HerringWSJ) June 25, 2014