Six Eastern Conference teams have 2-3 records, and all of them had playoff aspirations coming into the season. The Bulls, Nets and Knicks had even loftier expectations, but they’re among the clubs that find themselves below .500 five games into the season. It might not seem like it’s time for a drastic move yet, but tell that to Mike Brown, whom the Lakers fired five games into last season. Our look across the East has the latest on a team that could make a change soon:
- An Eastern Conference executive tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Iman Shumpert‘s trade value around the league is high, and that the Knicks aren’t nearly as sold on the third-year swingman as the rest of the league is. Isola wonders if the return of J.R. Smith from suspension and the Knicks’ belief in rookie Tim Hardaway Jr. will prompt the team to trade Shumpert, speculating that a swap with the Nuggets for Kenneth Faried might be the best fit. A deal with the Celtics for Rajon Rondo would meet with Mike Woodson‘s approval, but no such trade is likely, Isola writes.
- More NBA teams appear to be putting stock in analytics, but the successful Heat and Pacers aren’t among them, as a coach points out to Isola for the same piece.
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution identifies John Jenkins and Jared Cunningham as possible candidates for D-League assignments once Lou Williams returns from injury for the Hawks.
Isola has got to be one of the most ridiculous homers in the sports journalism biz. Faried or Rondo for Shumpert? You’ve gotta be kidding me. Next he’ll be thinking the Knicks can get LeBron for whatever’s left of Amare Stoudemire.
Keep dreaming, Frank.