The Mavericks were so bad at point guard last season, they brought in 38-year-old Derek Fisher and 37-year-old Mike James to start.
Dallas’ best point guard, Darren Collison, is a free agent now, so the Mavericks are going with a full-blow youth movement at the position.
Enter 31-year-old Jose Calderon.
The Dallas Mavericks agreed to a deal with point guard Jose Calderon, agent Mark Bartlestein told ESPN.com.
The contract is worth $29 million over four years, sources said.
Calderon averaged 11.3 points, 7.1 assists and 1.7 turnovers per game last season while playing for the Raptors and Pistons, and though his defense leaves plenty to be desired, his offensive prowess makes up for it – especially if his pick-and-roll game is complemented by Dirk Nowitzki’s.
This move adds to the list of circumstantial evidence that the Mavericks are trying to win as much as possible next season.
1. Calderon turned down interest from the Pistons and Kings, saying he wasn’t fond of rebuilding. I’m sure he spoke with the Mavericks about their intentions before agreeing to sign.
2. Dallas just missed the playoffs for the first time in 13 years, and the ultra-competitive and limelight-craving Mark Cuban might not be able to stomach a patient approach.
3. Calderon got a pretty sizable contract – both in length and dollars – for someone his age. If the Mavericks are more concerned about adding quality players in the short term than they are about becoming burdened later by bad contracts, this is a logical signing.
Calderon alone won’t lift a 41-41 team into the playoffs in the tough Western Conference, but he can definitely be a piece of the puzzle