Iman Shumpert Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Raptors, Knicks Working On Kyle Lowry Trade

December 12th, 2013 at 2:43pm CST by Chuck Myron

2:47pm: The Raptors are sticking to their asking price of a quality young player or a first-round pick in return for Lowry, notes Chris Mannix of SI.com, tweeting that negotiations could take a while. Lowry has plenty of interest in playing for the Knicks, but Felton’s injury doesn’t help the chances of the Knicks landing Toronto’s point guard, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post, who says several teams including the Raptors have inquired about Hardaway.

1:56pm: The chances that Shumpert is part the deal are slim, according to Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck, who says the Raptors aren’t high on him and the Knicks prefer to keep him for now (on Twitter).

1:39pm: Shumpert’s name has come up in discussions between the Raptors and Knicks, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. In his piece on rumors around the league, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report wrote that Shumpert, along with Felton, would “most likely” be part of a deal for Lowry.

1:04pm: Isola can’t envision Hardaway being part of the deal, citing owner James Dolan’s affection for the rookie (Twitter link).

12:53pm: The Nets and Warriors are also interested in Lowry, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, while Stein says the Knicks may be forced to put Tim Hardaway Jr. into the deal (Twitter links).

12:47pm: The Raptors are trying to elicit more offers for Lowry, and that’s why they’re leaking the news of their talks with the Knicks, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.

12:38pm: Kyle Lowry has been mentioned prominently among Raptors who could be on the move as GM Masai Ujiri aggressively reshapes the team, and he’s at the center of trade talks between Toronto and the Knicks, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. The trade would likely feature Raymond Felton and at least one other Knick heading north of the border unless a third team jumps in, Stein also notes (on Twitter).

The Knicks had interest in trading with the Nuggets for Andre Miller, but they’ve shifted their focus to Lowry, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). The Raptors are looking for a first-round pick in the deal, Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck notes (via Twitter), but the earliest first-rounder the Knicks can deal away is their 2018 pick.

Lowry is among nine Raptors with an expiring contract, as I examined earlier today, and his $6.21MM salary might make him an attractive target for teams looking for a starting point guard. The Knicks will miss Felton for the next two to three weeks as he recovers from a strained hamstring, as Newsday’s Al Iannazzone tweets. While that’s certainly not a long-term absence, New York may feel as though a quick fix is necessary to avoid falling further behind in the Eastern Conference. The Knicks are 6-15, but that’s just two and a half games out of a playoff spot, given the struggles of so many Eastern teams this year.

The teams hooked up on the Andrea Bargnani trade over the summer, though that happened while former Knicks GM Glen Grunwald was still in charge in New York. New Knicks GM Steve Mills has yet to make a major move since taking over shortly before the season.

A one-for-one swap of Lowry and Felton, who’s making about $3.6MM, wouldn’t work under salary-matching rules. The Knicks would have to include about $1.5MM more in outgoing salary. They could accomplish that by throwing Iman Shumpert into the deal, and while Shumpert has been at the centerpiece of most of the trade chatter involving the Knicks this year, it’s not clear whether he’s a part of these talks.

Zwerling On Randolph, Anderson, Gordon

December 12th, 2013 at 1:16pm CST by Chuck Myron

The latest dispatch from Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling is chock full of rumors. Let’s dive in:

The Grizzlies are shopping Zach Randolph, with Ryan Anderson of the Pelicans as the primary target, Zwerling reports. Memphis wants to see Ed Davis continue to develop, and that may help push Randolph out the door. The Pelicans would have to add salary to such a deal to make it work, and Zwerling mentions Austin Rivers as a possibility, noting that he’s dissatisfied with his lack of playing time and is open to a trade.
A source tells Zwerling that he believes the Pelicans will trade Eric Gordon at some point this season.
Zwerling hears conflicting reports on whether a rumored Kenneth Faried/Iman Shumpert swap is a possibility for the Nuggets and Knicks, but he says the Knicks are currently reluctant to move Shumpert.
It’s unlikely the Suns trade either Marcus Morris or twin brother Markieff Morris, according to Zwerling.
The Sixers would trade Evan Turner for Dion Waiters “in a heartbeat,” a source tells Zwerling, though Cavs owner Dan Gilbert reportedly doesn’t want to trade his shooting guard. The Sixers are worried about what Turner may command in restricted free agency this summer. The Suns could be another landing spot for Waiters, Zwerling writes.
Courtney Lee, Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries are on the market in Boston. The Celtics offered Avery Bradley a four-year, $24MM extension this fall, but the guard turned it down, looking for a deal with annual salaries of $8MM.
The Rockets “adore” D-Leaguer Troy Daniels, Zwerling writes. Daniels is displaying a three-point stroke to go with his 25.1 points per game.

Celtics Notes: Rivers, KG, Pierce, Crawford

December 8th, 2013 at 3:45pm CST by Zachary Links

Carmelo Anthony recruiting Rajon Rondo to New York? Maybe it should be the other way around. The Celtics punished the Knicks at MSG this afternoon, cruising to a 114-73 victory. In the biggest rout of the 2013/14 season so far, Jordan Crawford led the way with 23 points while Melo had just 19 off of putrid 5-of-15 shooting. The latest out of Boston..

Doc Rivers says the patience and effort needed to rebuild with the Celtics “just wasn’t in me,” but he thinks the team will recover quickly, as Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald observes. Rivers also doesn’t think the resentment that Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett harbor toward Ray Allen will last.
After being brought in at last season’s trade deadline to be a wild card for the postseason-bound Celtics, Crawford had no real expectations on him. However, Crawford is proving to be a real force for Boston, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
The rumor that the Knicks approached the Celtics about Rajon Rondo and offered Iman Shumpert caused laughter among the Boston brass because the Celtics want first-round picks, especially if they are to deal with a division rival, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Even though he’s not likely to win the award, Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) would like to see Danny Ainge get some votes for Executive of the Year for the picks he stockpiled and his bold coaching hire.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Nets, Frank, Bulls

December 3rd, 2013 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

This morning, we rounded up several of the latest rumors out of New York, with both the Nets and Knicks off to brutal starts to the 2013/14 season. Throughout the day, a few more Nets and Knicks items have trickled in, along with a few updates on their Eastern Conference rivals. Let’s dive in and check in on the latest….

Ian Begley of ESPN New York hears from league sources with knowledge of Knicks trade talks that GM Steve Mills has been citing Mike Woodson‘s coaching as a reason why Iman Shumpert has struggled this season. According to one source: “They’re saying that Shumpert’s a better player [than he’s shown], but Woodson isn’t using him right.”
Carmelo Anthony acknowledged that Knicks players are concerned about Woodson’s job security, but stressed that the blame should fall on the players rather than on the coach. Begley has the details and quotes in a separate piece.
Asked about a report that indicated he wants to be traded, Mirza Teletovic denied knowing anything about it, according to Newsday’s Rod Boone (via Twitter).
Nets assistant Lawrence Frank has been re-assigned, and will no longer be on the bench for games, Jason Kidd told reporters today, citing “different philosophies” (Twitter links via Howard Beck of Bleacher Report).
GM Gar Forman told ESPN Radio in Chicago that he still hopes to work out a new deal with Luol Deng next summer, but Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com believes the Bulls will want Deng to accept a hometown discount. In a column, Friedell explains why there’s no better time than the present for Forman and the Bulls to trade deng.
The Bulls assigned Marquis Teague to the Iowa Energy earlier today, but according to Forman, Teague’s stint won’t be long-term — the young point guard could be assigned and recalled occasionally throughout the season (Twitter link via K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
Examining the Wizards in a column for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com suggests the acquisition of Marcin Gortat should be the last move the team makes this year that involves adding a veteran with little upside. In fact, Washington shouldn’t rule out trading away a veteran like Trevor Ariza in the right deal, says Deeks.

Eastern Rumors: Shumpert, Afflalo, Cavs

December 2nd, 2013 at 11:50am CST by Luke Adams

Following up on Carmelo Anthony‘s recent comments suggesting that the Knicks were missing the veteran leadership of players like Jason Kidd, Rasheed Wallace, and Kurt Thomas, Mike Woodson agreed, but stressed that the team must move on.

“They’re not here this season and they’re not going to walk through that door,” Woodson said of those ex-Knicks, according to Al Iannazzone of Newsday. “We’ve got to go with what we have. And I think what we have is good enough to win with.”

Let’s round up a few more stories on the Knicks and several other Eastern Conference teams…

In their stories on the Knicks‘ Sunday loss to the Pelicans, Marc Berman of the New York Post and Frank Isola of the New York Daily News both suggest that the strong play of Tim Hardaway Jr. and Iman Shumpert‘s confrontation with Carmelo Anthony might make Shumpert even more available.
Arron Afflalo is playing the best ball of his career so far this season, which could put him in the All-Star conversation, but also means his trade value may never be higher. Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel takes a look at Afflalo’s unusual situation with the Magic.
In addressing the possibility of the Cavaliers starting Anthony Bennett at small forward, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio passes along a tidbit from a scout this past offseason. In the scout’s opinion, no matter what other moves the Cavs made, “if they’re still starting [Alonzo Gee] at small forward, they’re not gonna be that great.”
While many Bulls fans would like to see the team tank and grab a pick near the top of a strong 2014 draft, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times cautions against that approach. Speaking to Cowley, Bulls GM Gar Forman suggests it’s possible to find value in the first round no matter where the team’s pick lands.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Garnett, Rondo, Young

December 1st, 2013 at 8:59am CST by Chuck Myron

The Celtics are just 7-12, but they could have moved into first place in the Atlantic Division with a win last night. Instead, they lost to the Bucks, the worst team in the woeful Eastern Conference. That leaves the Raptors on top of the Atlantic at 6-9. Here’s more on the four teams chasing Toronto:

Knicks management has scolded coach Mike Woodson for his public criticism of trade candidate Iman Shumpert, notes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Kevin Garnett looked all of his 37 years at the start of the season, but more recently he’s shown why the Nets traded for him this summer, fellow Post scribe Tim Bontemps observes.
Rajon Rondo is a long way from the end of his playing career, but he’s spoken to Brad Stevens about getting involved in coaching some day, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald examines.
In a piece for Philly.com, SB Nation’s Michael Levin tries to peg Thaddeus Young‘s trade value, opining that his contract won’t discourage other teams from taking him on. Young’s deal runs through 2015/16 and has $28.2MM left on it, including this year.

Trade Candidate: Iman Shumpert

November 29th, 2013 at 9:27pm CST by Ryan Raroque

During the summer of 2011, Chauncey Billups – still a member of the Knicks at the time – had participated in some competitive pickup games at the Impact Basketball League in Las Vegas while awaiting a resolution to the NBA lockout. Among those who caught his eye immediately was Iman Shumpert, who had been recently drafted by New York that June and played alongside Billups on his first day of action:

“…I’m just looking forward to playing more with my new teammate Shumpert. He’s very athletic, and I’m just trying to learn his game right now. I’ll only have to play with him a few times and I will see how to best use him. I’m gonna try to make him a star, man.”

Though Billups would eventually be amnestied before the two could suit up for a regular season game together, it wasn’t very long before the Knicks and their fans appeared to see Shumpert as a promising prospect to develop for their future. From having his name chanted at Madison Square Garden during his second game as a rookie and being a mainstay rotation player during the “Linsanity” craze of 2011/12 to helping the Knicks win their first playoff series in over a decade last May, Shumpert has proven to be a key contributor during some of New York’s successful runs.

14 games into his third season in the league, those days of success seem to be a distant memory. Despite averaging a career high 30.1 MPG this season, Shumpert is shooting 38.9% from the field overall, and while that number isn’t too far off from his career average, his 32.4% clip from long distance represents a steep drop from last year (40.2%). Arguably his poorest performance came against the Trail Blazers last week, where he went scoreless with no rebounds or assists in 23 minutes of action. The 6’5 guard has been the hot topic of trade rumors as of late, leading some to speculate the talk as a reason for his poor play. Although he went on to deny such a notion, even Walt Frazier – the Knicks’ TV color commentator – recently surmised that the rumors were an impetus for Shumpert’s lost confidence:

“…Sometimes he doesn’t look like he’s happy out here. Maybe that’s because he heard the rumors he’s being traded. But he’s very stern in his face. It doesn’t look like he’s having fun.’’

Earlier this month, the Knicks had been linked to the Nuggets regarding a potential Shumpert-for-Kenneth Faried swap, although talks didn’t make much progress. Aside from the reported failed attempt to deal Shumpert in a package for Rajon Rondo, another name recently tied to discussions was Jason Thompson of the Kings. Just yesterday, Marc Berman of the New York Post wrote that New York is currently seeking front court help as they look to gauge Iman’s value on the trade market.The former Georgia Tech product is currently on the books for $1.7M this year, likely creating a challenge to find another trade partner who would be able to make a one-for-one swap (that is, unless the Knicks are looking to trade for a player making around the $1.4MM veteran’s minimum or someone on a rookie-scale deal).

Hypothetically speaking, if the Knicks were to pursue Jason Thompson ($5.64MM this year) or a player making similar money, they’ll have to wait until December 15th in order to have the ability to include some of the small contracts they signed over the summer (i.e. Pablo Prigioni, Beno Udrih, or Cole Aldrich to name a few) as a means to make salaries match in a trade. On the other hand, if Andrea Bargnani maintains his current production (14.7 PPG, 5.4 RPG, and 1.2 BPG on 46% shooting from the field) between now and the February deadline, one could argue that Shumpert and Bargnani could make for an intriguing trade package to shop around the league as well.

Although Shumpert may not currently resemble the “star” that Billups had envisioned helping him eventually become, a change of scenery could be what he needs to move past his current struggles. His numbers thus far might be off-putting, but Iman isn’t too far removed from a postseason in which he averaged 9.3 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 1.1 SPG and shot nearly 43% from three. With J.R. Smith and Tim Hardaway Jr. on board, New York could arguably afford to part with Iman in favor of a big man that could bolster a front court that includes a recovering Tyson Chandler and minute restrictions on Kenyon Martin and Amar’e Stoudemire.

Eastern Notes: Shumpert, Waiters, James, Heat

November 28th, 2013 at 9:58pm CST by Charlie Adams

Here are a few notes from the Eastern Conference:

The latest piece by Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com examines Iman Shumpert‘s trade value and the likelihood that the Knicks guard develops into an elite player. Shumpert has been discussed as a potential trade candidate throughout the season, and Begley suggests that his value lies in his potential and not proven production. So far in his career, the former first-round pick has scored 8.2 PPG in 26.5 MPG.
Marc Berman of the New York Post compares Mike Woodson‘s tough treatment of Shumpert this season to his treatment of J.R. Smith last season. Smith responded positively and ended up winning sixth man of the year, but it remains to be seen whether or not Shumpert will respond in such a way.
Dion Waiters has been another popular name in trade rumors around the league. We learned yesterday that the Cavaliers are shopping Waiters, and Bob Finnan of the News Herald reveals that Waiters is attempting to stay focused on the court amid all the trade talks: “I’m out here and still smiling. There’s nothing I’d rather be doing than playing basketball. I’ll leave that all to the press. I’ll let them have fun with that.”
Much was made of LeBron James and “The Decision,” but Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld notes that James’ decision to sign with the Heat was unselfish in the sense that he took less guaranteed years and a significant pay cut in order to play for a championship-caliber club. In fact, James could have made an additional $15MM had he signed a more lucrative contract that was available to him.
Speaking of the Heat, Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel writes that Miami and the Big Three have come a long way since their 9-8 start in 2010/11 that had critics questioning whether or not the superstar packed club could succeed. James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade each have early termination options on their contracts for the 2014/15 season, but there’s been little evidence to suggest any of them are eager to explore free agency.

Odds & Ends: Waiters, Knicks, NBPA, Vucevic

November 28th, 2013 at 1:51pm CST by Luke Adams

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! There may not be any games on the NBA schedule tonight, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t still a few updates from around the league to pass along. Let’s check out the latest….

While Dion Waiters may be available, don’t expect to see him in a Knicks uniform, says Marc Berman of the New York Post. According to Berman, New York is seeking frontcourt help rather than another shooting guard as the team explores the trade market and gauges Iman Shumpert‘s trade value.
Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today rounds up recent union developments and passes along the highlights of fellow USA Today scribe Sam Amick’s Q&A with former NBPA president Derek Fisher, who isn’t wavering on his plans to retire.
Nikola Vucevic doesn’t hold any hard feelings toward the Sixers, who traded him to the Magic a year ago. Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has the details and the quotes from Vucevic.
Pierre Jackson is in an unusual situation this season, playing for the D-League’s Idaho Stampede despite the fact that his NBA rights are held by the Pelicans. Dakota Schmidt of Ridiculous Upside takes an in-depth look at the former Baylor guard, attempting to determine whether he has an NBA future.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Cavs Shopping Dion Waiters

November 27th, 2013 at 6:25pm CST by Luke Adams

6:25pm: Waiters says he’s content to remain in Cleveland and adds that it’s up to he and Irving to make their pairing work, observes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. “I’m not happy with us losing but I’m happy here, the city of Cleveland, yeah,” Waiters said.

5:42pm: Waiters confirmed to reporters from the Plain Dealer and other outlets that he has not asked to be traded and called Broussard’s report that he and Grant met for three hours “nonsense” (Twitter link).

4:47pm: The Cavs say they aren’t shopping Waiters, but have fielded inquiries on him, according to the Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The denial from the team is no surprise, since it would hurt the Cavs’ leverage if they looked eager to move him. I’m guessing Waiters is very much available, and whether or not Cleveland is actively “shopping” him is a matter of semantics.

3:29pm: Deng, Shumpert, and Evan Turner are among the Cavs’ targets in talks for Waiters, tweets Broussard.

3:03pm: In his full story on the Cavs and Waiters, Broussard says that while the guard hasn’t requested a trade, he brought up the possibility during a meeting last week with GM Chris Grant and coach Mike Brown. Broussard adds that Waiters and Irving “are not close” and that Waiters believes the Cavs hold him to different standards than Irving.

According to Broussard, the Cavs have interest in Luol Deng, and are believed to have reached out to clubs besides the Bulls, Knicks, and 76ers. While Iman Shumpert would appear to be the obvious trade candidate for the Knicks, New York is “not interested” in such a deal for now.

2:43pm: The Cavaliers are shopping Dion Waiters as a potential trade chip, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (Twitter link). According to Broussard, the Bulls, Knicks, and Sixers are among the teams who have spoken to Cleveland, but no deal is imminent.

Last week, we heard that Waiters may be at the center of some of the Cavs’ chemistry issues, though the second-year guard denied being involved in a physical altercation during a players-only meeting. Broussard reports (via Twitter) that rumors of a fight between Waiters and Kyrie Irving are false, but says Waiters and Tristan Thompson had an “intense argument” and needed to be separated.

Whether or not Waiters has become a problem in the team’s locker room, he’s open to being moved, according to Broussard. However, ESPN.com’s Chad Ford isn’t convinced the Syracuse product would have significant value on the trade market.

Waiters, the No. 4 overall pick in 2012, averaged 14.7 PPG in his rookie season, but has yet to show strong signs of developing into the impact scorer the Cavs are hoping for. The 21-year-old has shot just 40.9% from the floor so far in his NBA career. If Cleveland were to find a deal involving Waiters, he may be part of a larger package, since his modest $3.89MM salary wouldn’t accommodate a ton of trade options.