Trade rumors involving New York Knicks' Derrick Williams and Jose Calderon are arising again as the plays of the team's pair of rookies, Kristaps Porzingis and Jerian Grant, stand out on the court.
Sports World Report indicated that because of the Knicks' mercurial performances this season "the trade deadline could see the Knicks getting active as they keep trying to stay focused on the future".
New York is currently at the 12th spot in the surprisingly heavy Eastern Conference, bearing a four-game losing streak as their record stood at 10-14. Only three teams are worse when it comes to win-loss slates and they are Milwaukee, Brooklyn, and Philadelphia.
While the team's two rookies, Porzingis and Grant, are playing superb basketball, its veterans, Williams and Calderon are reportedly being pushed aside to become valuable trade chips before the February deadline as Phil Jackson continues to focus on the future.
Porzingis is averaging 14.1 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks per game in just under 28 minutes a night through 24 games while Grant produces 5.5 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in just a little over 17 minutes per game through 24 games as well.
Even as both first-year players' number are quite promising, their success is said to be forcing Jackson to be busy as soon as the December 15 deadline for trading free agents arrive.
While Calderon seems to be staying at the Big Apple especially that Arron Afflalo is back in the lineup and opposing teams are figuring out how to defend Grant, the New York Post reported, Williams may be gone before February as the 2011 second overall draft pick gets less and less playing time from head coach Derek Fisher.
Williams had become a third or fourth off the bench for Fisher behind Lou Amundson, Kevin Seraphin, and Kyle O'Quinn as Porzingis allegedly makes him dispensable in the roster.