Knick fans already love point guard Jose Calderon for the simple fact that he's replaced Raymond Felton, but he also holds the key for New York's season.

Last year, Carmelo Anthony was the Knicks' only consistent player on either end of the floor, and that was a major factor in why New York didn't make the playoffs.

Calderon is a model of consistency. He won't 'wow' you with any part of his game, but he's a productive player that brings it every night. The Spanish point guard is a really good passer, great in the pick-and-roll, and a reliable three-point shooter.

Perhaps his biggest asset is his basketball IQ, and should really help with first head coach Derek Fisher's transition to the bench. Calderon is the kind of player that makes everyone else around him better by getting them the ball where they can be the most successful. It sounds like small thing, but it can make a big difference in offensive efficiency and team chemistry.

Those skills should help revitalize the play of New York's aging big men, particularly that of Andrea Bargnani.

The two played together in Toronto for seven seasons, including Bargnani's career year where he averaged 21.4 points per game. The duo was lethal with the pick-and-pop for the Raptors which is a skill Fisher will almost certainly utilize in his offense. Bargnani may be repair thanks to numerous injuries, but if anyone can get the best out of him, it's Calderon.

With so many unknowns coming into this year for New York, fans can take solace in knowing they have a stabilizing force running the show.