NBA Trade Rumors: Chandler & Felton Move to Dallas for Dalembert & Calderon

Phil Jackson has made a number of major moves as the new president of the New York Knicks, including trading Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks on June 25.

In exchange for the two, Jose Calderon, Samual Dalembert, Wayne Ellington and Shane Larkin will be moving to New York. Two second-round picks were also given to the Knicks for the 2014 NBA Draft. In a report by the New York Times, Jackson said, "The journey to build this team for the upcoming season and beyond continues. We have added players with this move that will fit right in to our system while maintaining future flexibility."

Pro Basketball Talk said the agreement between the two teams will require formal approval by the NBA office. Many experts consider the deal already closed. Such an agreement was made after Carmelo Anthony expressed that he will opt out of his contract to test the free agent market. Chandler is also one of Anthony's close friends in the New York team.

Calderon, a point guard, is a good trade for Felton, who underperformed in the past NBA season. Chandler, however, will be missed in the paint. The addition of Larkin and Ellington, with proper training and added strategy, might be fruitful for the Knicks. Jackson seemed intent in rebuilding the Knicks' roster, although it might take more than one season to fully accomplish. Letting go of Chandler and Felton helped them save almost $20 million. Calderon, Larkin and Ellington together make only $11.5 million. This gives the Knicks the advantage of getting a star player in the future to replace Anthony.

Chandler used to play for the Mavericks and was very effective in the past years. He was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in the 2011-2012 season. Chandler will be complimentary to Dallas' other big man, Dirk Nowitzki. Although Chandler's condition has declined, he is still a better pick over Samual Dalembert. Chandler will improve the Mavericks' defense. Felton, on the other hand, needs to step up his game or risk becoming fodder for future trades. Felton is a good passer and can penetrate, the No. 5 pick, however, did not live up to the expectations of coaches and fans.

Chandler and Felton leaving the New York Knicks is only indicative that the team will be doing more trades in the future, as Phil Jackson, and his methodical mind, map out their championship-winning dream.