Calderon’s future is a topic of debate among fans, but
no one connected with the team has suggested they’re looking to move him. He’ll be 32 years old when the 2012-13 season opens with one year and just over $10 million left on his deal. With no successor on the roster, and coach Casey not enthralled with the thought of a rookie point guard for his team even if one could be found in a guard-thin draft, there’s no reason to think Calderon won’t play out his deal.
The 6-foot-3 guard’s defence, long a sore point, hasn’t been an issue this year primarily because he’s benefited greatly from Casey’s system. It’s widely accepted that with the glut of exceptional point guards in the NBA, one can’t stop another without help.
“It’s impossible, especially guys like (Oklahoma City’s Russell) Westbrook, (Chicago’s Derrick) Rose, those kinds of guards who are the freaks of nature,” said Casey. “That’s why team defence is what has to help a guy like Jose, and everything we’ve built has been with that in mind.”