The Cleveland Cavaliers could part ways with Iman Shumpert before the trade deadline, with the defending champs looking to address their need of a backup point guard.
The Cavs are off to a hot start this season, but recent reports have suggested that the defending champs are still looking for a solid backup point guard to replace Mo Williams, who has reached an impasse with the team. According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs are willing to trade Iman Shumpert to acquire a backup PG who can effectively run the point for Cleveland.
"If the Cavs need to trade him to land the backup point guard they desire, they will," Vardon wrote. "It's true, Shumpert's scoring, shooting, perimeter defense, turnovers and conditioning have all improved from last season - his worst as a pro. But the team really needs a second point guard, a spot currently occupied by Shumpert (he's playing out of position)."
So far, Shumpert's ineffectiveness in his role as the team's playmaker off the bench has been overshadowed by the Cavs' overall talent. But head coach Tyronn Lue admitted Shumpert running the point slows their offense, which may hurt the team at times.
"I think our pace goes down when Shump's playing the point guard because he doesn't want to make a mistake," Lue said. "He kind of slows the ball down and runs sets, tries to get us in our offense, which we've asked him to do. But, not having that backup point guard out there to get us in our stuff and run it with pace, run it with speed, it's kind of hurt us a little bit."
It is unclear whether the Cavs would truly consider trading Shumpert or include him in any potential deal involving Williams and Jordan McRae. But one has to think that for Cleveland to acquire a valuable asset in return, dealing Shumpert is the only viable option.
There are very few backup point guards available in the trade market, but Minnesota Timberwolves' Ricky Rubio and Phoenix Suns' Brandon Knight could emerge as possible trade targets for the Cavs. Rubio and Knight are in an identical situation. Both players have taken a backseat this season after the Timberwolves selected Kris Dunn in this year's draft, and the Suns getting back Eric Bledsoe from injury.
It remains to be seen whether the Cavs would consider Rubio or Knight as their option at backup PG, but it seems there is genuine interest from the team's front office to bring in another floor general who could fit well coming off the bench albeit at the expense of Shumpert.
Video courtesy: YouTube/NBA Reel