Report: Iman Shumpert asked for trade from Cavaliers

Now that Kyrie Irving has been traded, the Cavaliers can focus on an apparent trade request from Iman Shumpert.

The Cleveland Cavaliers could have stood their ground, but they ultimately gave in to Kyrie Irving’s trade request and sent him to the Celtics this week. Now according to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin via a longer piece addressing further questions surrounding the Cavaliers, Iman Shumpert requested a trade after the season too.

Shumpert played 76 games last regular season, averaging 7.5 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game over 25.5 minutes per contest. He’s also well overpaid, with $10.34 million due to him this coming season and a player option worth a shade over $11 million for 2018-19.

McMemanin suggested two specific teams had interest in Shumpert, before those trade talks fell apart. Also, it’s safe to say Irving’s trade request took priority over anything else, amid a transition to new general manager Koby Altman.

"Cleveland was in talks to trade Shumpert and his $10.3 million contract to Minnesota or Houston, but both deals fell apart. Logic would tell you that the Cavs will remain motivated to find a team to take Shumpert."

On the note of Cleveland’s motivation to trade Shumpert, Shams Charina of The Vertical has backed that up while dismissing the idea Shumpert has asked to be traded.

Other than shedding his salary for the purpose of luxury tax relief, the Cavaliers would probably not accomplish much by trading Shumpert right now. But there’s also not a lot of room for him to make a difference in Cleveland, with J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver in line for minutes at shooting guard in the generally short rotation of head coach Tyronn Lue.

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Shumpert has experience playing on a bad team, having started his career with the New York Knick. So it makes some sense if he hasn’t formally asked for a trade, knowing landing in a lackluster situation is a likely outcome.