The Deal
Lakers get: Guard Jose Calderon, two future second-round picks
Bulls get: International prospect TBD
Los Angeles Lakers: A
Kudos to the rising salary cap for making the final season of Jose Calderon's contract not unreasonable. Calderon will make $7.7 million next year, about the same as countryman Sergio Rodriguez got from the Philadelphia 76ers and only slightly more per year than D.J. Augustin will make on a four-year deal with the Orlando Magic.
So when it was originally reported the Lakers were taking Calderon into their cap space without getting anything in the deal, that didn't seem preposterous. Calderon is the kind of steady hand the Lakers could use as a backup behind youngsters Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell, and as a fine 3-point shooter (41 percent both last season and for his career), Calderon can play off the ball alongside either of the starters in the backcourt or reserve Lou Williams.
Now, as for what adding Calderon does for an already shaky perimeter defense ... well, let's just say that Timofey Mozgov and Tarik Black should be in help positions starting at tipoff. But the Lakers will surely survive adding another slow-footed perimeter defender for one season, and then Calderon comes off their books.
When you consider that the Lakers also get a couple of second-round picks from Chicago for the trouble, this becomes a very good trade and use of part of their remaining cap space. L.A. still has about $10 million to $11 million left to fill out the back end of the roster.
Chicago Bulls: B
Taking on Calderon's contract was part of the price of the Derrick Rose trade for the Bulls, and it didn't figure to matter until they decided to make a deal for free agent Dwyane Wade on Wednesday. All things considered, the cost wasn't too onerous given that Calderon already figured to be the odd man out at point guard after Chicago subsequently agreed to sign Rajon Rondo as a free agent.
The Bulls will get the rights to a player overseas to fulfill the requirement that they receive something in the trade, presumably either 2009 second-round pick Chinemelu Elonu or 2011 second-round pick Ater Majok. Neither is a real NBA prospect.