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José Calderón Explains Cavaliers' 4-Year Development Plan for Khalifa Diop
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- José Calderón Explains Cavaliers' 4-Year Development Plan for Khalifa Diop
(Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports)
José Calderón was in the Cleveland Cavaliers ' front office when they drafted Khalifa Diop 39th overall in 2022. Four years later, the newly promoted assistant general manager detailed the team's path with the center to Andscape's Branson Wright in a feature published Wednesday.
Cleveland promoted Calderón to assistant general manager on Sept. 18, alongside Brendon Yu. The same release elevated Brandon Weems to general manager and Jon Nichols to associate general manager. Yu ran the Cleveland Charge as general manager from 2019 to 2023.
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Calderón had rejoined the organization in January 2022 as a special advisor to the front office, five months before the draft. The Cavaliers' release credited him with work on the team's 2026 training camp at The Embassy in Andalusia, Spain.
Calderón Left Home at 13
Calderón began his own career in his native Spain at 13. Diop left Senegal for Spain at 14.
"Leaving home at a young age isn't easy," Calderón said. "I guess it makes you mature a little bit faster."
The 44-year-old played 14 NBA seasons for Toronto, Detroit, Dallas, New York, the Lakers, Atlanta, and Cleveland. He spent 2005 to 2013 with the Raptors.
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He appeared in 57 games for the Cavaliers in 2017-18, a season that ended in the NBA Finals. After retiring in 2019, he worked for the National Basketball Players Association as a special assistant to then-executive director Michele Roberts.
What Cleveland Saw in 2022
Diop was 20 and playing for Gran Canaria when Cleveland picked him in the second round. Calderón said he was getting better offensively at the time.
"His defense was always a little bit ahead of his offense at that time," Calderón explained. "We liked his athleticism. He was getting better offensively as well."
Diop had spent the 2021-22 season with Gran Canaria's senior team. Before the draft, he won the EuroCup's Rising Star award.
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Cleveland did not bring him over. Staying in Spain was about development, Calderón said.
"For us, we probably didn't have any roster spots," Calderón said. "It was more about him staying there and continuing to develop."
Diop averaged 7.9 points and 5.0 rebounds for Gran Canaria in 2022-23 and won the EuroCup with the club. He then spent three seasons with Baskonia, which plays in Spain's Liga ACB and the EuroLeague, and was part of the club's 2026 Copa del Rey title.
Calderón Expects More
The Cavaliers signed Diop to a four-year, $9.26 million contract on Sept. 2, according to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype. He was 24.
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Calderón said he hopes to see another step or two from Diop.
"He's gotten better," Calderón said. "Hopefully, we'll see another step or two ahead of him. The best part is that he's still a young guy."
Diop has not made his NBA debut. A left knee injury sidelined him during the preseason, and he was away from the team while tending to it before Cleveland's Oct. 13 exhibition against Orlando, according to FanDuel Sports Network Ohio's Serena Winters.
When healthy, he is expected to compete with Thomas Bryant for minutes behind starting center Jarrett Allen, Andscape reported.
