Iman Shumpert won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016. Could he still be of help to the Miami Heat and their own quest for a title?
Iman Shumpert
One of the more notable free agents available is guard Iman Shumpert. He’s a nine-year veteran who earned a championship with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2016.
Shumpert then went on to play with the Sacramento Kings before appearing in last year’s playoffs with the Houston Rockets. He earned another shot at playing time this year with the Brooklyn Nets, where he proved to still be a defensive anchor and capable contributor.
In his 13 games with the club, Shumpert posted 8.1 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.8 steals Per 36 minutes. He was eventually cut due to a lack of roster spots in Brooklyn. However, it’s unlikely the Nets and Shumpert reengage on a partnership ahead of NBA Orlando.
Brooklyn has already announced that both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will be sitting out the rest of the season as planned. They’ll likely devote their roster spots to two-way players and other youth worth taking a flyer on as opposed to a veteran like Shumpert.
His offense is questionable, it always has been. But Shumpert is a true defense first, two-way guard. Bringing him onto this Miami Heat team would only further the IQ in this locker room.