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What Happened to Jose Calderon?


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Over the last 3 months of the 09/10 season, Calderon averaged (roughly) 8 ppg/6 apg on 44% shooting and 39% from three in around 25 minutes a night.

 

So far this preseason he is averaging 4.7 ppg/5.1 apg on 28.2 FG% and 0.91 3PT% in 21.6 minutes per game.

 

He went from being one of the more effective shooters in the league, regularly flirting with 50/40/90 averages to not even being able to knock down an open jumper from 15 feet. He was basically automatic when coming off of a screen and pulling up from 18 feet, and now he clanks everything he takes.

 

He was very good at turning the corner off of pick and roles as he did a good job of mixing up speeds and being deceptive with his quickness, and now he can't even turn the corner with somebody like Steve Nash guarding him. When he does get into the paint, he can't finish at all anymore.

 

Then there is obviously the problem with his defense. He has never been a good defender, but he was never this bad either. He can't keep anybody in front of him anymore. Sure, it doesn't help to have weak defenders around him, but it still doesn't change the fact that he looks like a complete pylon out there now.

 

Losing Bosh obviously hurt him as so much of his game relied on him, but you can't place all of the blame on that because he was playing awful last season with Bosh in the lineup.

 

Really, what the hell happened to Calderon? He was never a great player, but he was probably a top 15 point guard in the league and a borderline starter 2-3 seasons ago, yet now he is closer to being a borderline NBA player than a borderline starter.

 

According to Doug Smith, management seem to be worried about his play as well.

 

No one’s exactly sure what’s going on with Jose Calderon but something sure is.

 

Six shots taken, six shots missed and the worst night of the pre-season by far.

 

Talking to a few people after the game and they were mystified about it, too.

 

Now, it hasn’t been the greatest of pre-seasons for him but the game last night was a tough one.

 

And one situation really showed just how tough.

 

Think it was in the fourth quarter, or maybe the third, and the Raptors were having a really good possession, which may be why I remembered it.

 

Ball swung side-to-side through about four guys and got too Jose in the far corner. He had a really good open look at a three and you could sense the hesitation when he caught the ball. Normally, it’s an easy catch-and-shoot situation but he thought about it, kicked it back to Bargnani and that’s where the shot came from.

 

No one that I talked to after the game was suggesting any dramatic change in roles – Jay continued to be publicly satisfied with the way things are – but there is that growing sense of unease that things have to get better in a hurry.

Will they?

 

I don’t know, you don’t know, they don’t know and that’s the problem.

 

 

http://thestar.blogs.com/raptors/2010/10/the-usual-fun-and-frivolity-the-day-after-a-game.html

Edited by Built Ford Tough
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No motivation, he can say whatever he wants about coming back after that deal got squashed and playing 100% for us, but it isn't happening. He is a passionate dude, and that trade probably stung really bad for him, especially knowing he is now playing on a team where he basically knows he was, and potentially is, the odd man out.

 

I think Calderon really needs a change of scenery, I'm not just saying this because I want him gone either. He can still be effective, he just needs the motivation again, but to get moved, he is going to need to pick it up. If he continues to suck, [expletive]ing bench him, we don't need another [expletive] show getting minutes by default.

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Well, he did suffer an injury during the World Championships. Maybe that explains his terrible preseason play?

 

Wasn't he terrible during the World Championships before suffering the hamstring (I think) injury? I remember reading over at Real GM about how awful Calderon looked during the WC and that the Spanish team was so much better when Rubio was playing and Jose was on the bench.

 

Also, he was pretty bad towards the end of last season as well, and he wasn't injured during that time period. As much as I would love to blame injuries for his poor play, I just don't think it is a legitimate reason.

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Didn't want to post a new thread for this, but according to Doug Smith, Calderon is a good enough defender.

 

Now, I know there are all kinds of you who won’t agree, but when his game’s going, he’s an excellent point guard, a shooting threat from anywhere on the floor, he is still the best guy they have for running an offence effectively and, with the right rotations and help, he’s a good enough defender. Great? No. Good enough? Yes.

 

:lol:

 

The only players in the NBA that can make Calderon a good enough defender would be a prime Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and a healthy Greg Oden.

 

The sad thing is that Calderon has been putting more effort into his defense so far this preseason than I have seen since he was backing up TJ Ford and he is still arguably the worst defensive point guard in the league.

 

Maybe he means it is good enough for the Raptors to finish dead last?

Edited by Built Ford Tough
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Calderon has been terrible for the past two seasons. Its the most common thing among NBA players when they receive their large contracts after having one stellar season. Based on his talent level I don't believe were ever going to see a better Calderon. Look at his career average. He averages 9.8 ppg and 6.6 apg not remotely enough to help this team win. Top it all off he is a terrible defender.

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