Phil Jackson’s roster overhaul has begun on the eve of the NBA Draft.
The Knicks and Mavericks executed a blockbuster deal Wednesday that sent center Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton to Dallas for point guard Jose Calderon, shot-blocking center Samuel Dalembert, point guard Shane Larkin, shooting guard Wayne Ellington and two second-round picks.
The Knicks will acquire the 34th and 51st picks in Thursday’s draft, but, more importantly, they upgraded their point-guard position and ended the Felton era. That was the priority in getting the veteran Calderon and the young prospect Larkin, who had an injury-marred rookie year after being a first-round pick out of the University of Miami.
The Knicks have decreased their cap space for 2015 by about $5.2 million. Calderon is to make a little more than $7 million per season for the next three years. Larkin will make $1.6 million in 2015. Felton was due $3.9 million in 2015. Interestingly, Felton earlier this week made a plea agreement on his gun charges that will spare him jail time.
“The journey to build this team for the upcoming season and beyond continues,” Jackson said in a statement Wednesday night. “We have added players with this move that will fit right into our system while maintaining future flexibility.’’
Lakers point guard Steve Nash, hosting his soccer showdown on the Lower East Side, told The Post of Calderon: “It’s good. He’s good for the triangle [offense], too. Great shooter. Intelligent player. Brings chemistry and shooting. At the point-guard position, that’s very important.’’
The decrease in cap space for 2015 makes it even more imperative for free-agent-to-be Carmelo Anthony to take less than the maximum salary from the Knicks.
Chandler had expressed uncertainty about his future with the Knicks late in the season, saying both sides had “a lot of decisions” to make. Entering the final year of his pact, he returns to Dallas, where he won a title in 2011, but left as a free agent.
Chandler is scheduled to make $14.6 million this season and saw no future with the club focusing on the 2015 free-agent crop. It is likely he asked to see what Jackson could do on the trade front. Chandler didn’t seem to be the prototype Jackson center for the triangle — which benefits from a low-post, slick-passing big man.
Though their lockers were together, Anthony and Chandler didn’t seem especially close.
The Knicks were desperate to upgrade the point-guard position. The move should give Anthony more hope about the future, as Calderon solidifies their weakest position — though he isn’t known as a stout defender. His career offensive numbers are sweet — 10.2 points, on 47.9 percent shooting — 41.1 percent from 3-point range — and 6.8 assists in 634 games over nine seasons with the Raptors, Pistons and Mavericks.
The trade reunites Calderon, a Spaniard, with former Toronto teammate Andrea Bargnani. A source said Bargnani was crushed when Calderon was traded to Detroit in January 2013.
Jackson said earlier this month he would make a move to cut into the 2015 cap space for the right players, and he obviously believes in the Calderon-Larkin package.
“Phil would like to shake things up [in the draft],’’ a league source told The Post Wednesday before the deal was revealed. “He knows the team has to get better. He’s working on it.’’
In Dalembert, Jackson may have acquired a serviceable spot starter. Though he has slid the past couple of years, the 33-year-old, 6-foot-11 Haitian averaged 7.8 points on a career-best 56.8 percent shooting, 6.8 rebounds and 1.18 blocks over 20.2 minutes in 80 games (68 starts) last season.
If Jackson waives Dalembert, the Knicks may be in position to possess their $5 million mid-level exception, as opposed to the taxpayer mini-midlevel worth $3.2 million, to sign a free agent in July.
In the draft, the Knicks could take Florida center Patric Young, whom they worked out, with one of their second-round picks. They have also worked out Arizona combo guard Nick Johnson.
The Knicks still have $1.8 million to play with Thursday to attempt a first-round move, with shooting guard P.J. Hairston a potential target, but it’s unlikely.
Larkin, the son of Cincinnati Reds great Barry Larkin, played in just 48 games as a rookie and had a brief stint in the D-League in his rookie year, after breaking his ankle in July during summer-league practice.