The Cavaliers will be without swingman Iman Shumpert for the next seven-to-10 days, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The 27-year-old sprained his left foot in a preseason game this week and could be sidelined until the regular season begins.
Shumpert’s absence comes at a critical time for the Cavaliers, who will be hard-pressed to trim down their roster after the addition of Dwyane Wade last week. While Shumpert has been reassured of his role with the club, Cavs fans will be eager to see what the veteran is capable of producing in 2017/18.
Shumpert, owed $11MM in 2017/18, saw his role with the Cavaliers decrease toward the end of last season and averaged just 7.5 points and 2.9 rebounds per game for the team on the year.
This year, with considerably more depth in the mix in Cleveland, it will be interesting to see what sort of role the perimeter defender carves out for himself with the Cavaliers. Missing the duration of preseason won’t help him make a solid impression.
There’s more from the Central Division:
- It won’t be easy for Stan Van Gundy to narrow his Pistons rotation down to eight or nine players, especially considering how Henry Ellenson has played of late, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com writes. The head coach will need to find a way of balancing the minutes for Ellenson, Anthony Tolliver, Tobias Harris and Jon Leuer, all of whom can play the four.
- Expect Justin Holiday to step into a leadership role with the rebuilding Bulls, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times writes. “He’s done a good job of pulling the group together,” head coach Fred Hoiberg said. “If we’re having a stretch in practice where we’re struggling or we’re hitting adversity and we’re not handling it the right way, if we need a shot of energy, Justin is the guy that pulls the group together. And you have to have a guy like that.“
- The Bulls were supposedly close to a deal with Milos Teodosic this summer but it was derailed when the club traded Jimmy Butler to the Timberwolves, effectively shifting their focus to a full-on rebuild. The guard’s agent, Nick Lotsos, spoke of the free agency process to NBA Greece (article translated by Eurohoops).
the cavs should trade shumpert for wilson chandler
The injury to Alan Williams may keep them from trading Chandler like the injury to Knight made Bledsoe more crucial.
But they need a plan for dealing with Josh Jackson and there are several Cavs who could help with that, like Jefferson. Being well under the cap the Suns probably don’t have to send anything.
A) Wilson Chandler is a SF for the Nuggets.
B) He is not on the trade block now that Galinari is gone
TYSON Chandler is who you’re thinking of, and I thought he got traded somewhere else anyway?
Can there BE any more NBA Chandlers! (“Friends” joke)
There’s no need for any new SF on the Cavs. C Tyson Chandler yes, and he’s too old for the Suns plans. And RJefferson is presumably popular in Arizona.
Never mind the fact that Chandler is better than Shump either, and if the Nuggets move Chandler, it will be in a deal for a PG as they’re already wing heavy.
They’re starting Murray at pg and having Mudiay and Nelson back him up. Chandler is they’re only sf so unless they get an sf back then it makes no sense dealing him.
By sf, I mean he’s the only player on the Nuggets roster who can guard other sf.