Ever since Phil Jackson stepped in as the New York Knicks President, Iman Shumpert has been involved in numerous trade rumors. And unfortunately for Shumpert, his name will continue to appear in trade rumors as Basketball Insiders reported that New York will likely attempt to deal him again this season:
Shumpert's name emerged in trade rumors early and often last season for a Knicks team that failed to live up to expectations. All indications from newly minted president of basketball operations Phil Jackson point toward Shumpert being a part of their retooling process. But you can't ignore the fact the franchise spent the offseason improving wing depth by adding rookie Cleanthony Early and veteran Travis Outlaw. The Knicks also have promising swing-man Tim Hardaway Jr. on the roster. This makes Shumpert one of the Knicks' most attractive trade assets which could yield a worthy piece in return.
Furthermore, Basketball Insiders believes that while Shumpert is eligible for an early contract extension their is very little chance that he receives a lucrative offer from the Knicks prior to the October 31 deadline which means that he should be heading to the path of restricted free agency next summer. And if Early and Outlaw and the other wing players in the Knicks roster performs well early in the season, it wouldn't be a surprise if the team tries to put Shumpert's name in the trade block again.
The Knicks have a surplus in the backcourt and are pretty "heavy" at shooting guard which means that they could be looking at unloading one of their 2-guards to fill in other needs in their roster. Shumpert is an intriguing prospect that can become a legit two-way player in the league but he also happens to be the Knicks greatest trade chip. And given that the Knicks are planing to bolster their roster through trade deals this coming season, it seems obvious that Shumpert would be the one to be shipped out.
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