NY Knicks Would Be Making a Massive Mistake by Trading Iman Shumpert
Iman Shumpert for Jared Dudley?
Cue the Knicks fan groans. One of them is coming from me. I'm not even sure I get it. Or believe it.
According to reports, the Phoenix Suns are focused on acquiring the guy they passed on during the 2011 NBA draft. You have to love the part that says the Suns are "willing" to package Dudley, as if he's a coveted trade target or commodity around the league.
This would be a huge mistake by the Knicks if this actually went down.
Shumpert is essentially the only kid on the roster. Even though the Knicks are in win-now mode, every team needs at least one young gun. Especially when you consider the Knicks' backcourt depth. They currently employ 39-year-old Jason Kidd and 35-year-old Pablo Prigioni.
Dudley is best known for reporting that LeBron James would be a Knick during the summer of 2010. That reason alone should make New Yorkers against this deal.
If the Knicks were looking to make a move to help them win now, I can't imagine Jared Dudley is the guy on their wishlist.
And despite the Suns' willingness to give up a first-round pick, that doesn't help the Knicks win now or in the near future, especially with a draft that lacks game-changing talent.
This isn't the first time the Suns engaged in trade discussions with the Knicks over Shumpert. Just this summer, the teams were on the brink of a deal that would have sent Steve Nash to the Knicks in a sign-and-trade.
Since coming back from an ACL tear, Shumpert's explosiveness is still in hiding. We haven't seen the elite athleticism he possesses as a lockdown defender or open-court finisher. But trading him isn't the answer.
I'm not even sure what Dudley does so well that the Knicks actually need. He's got an attractive 39-percent three-point stroke, but it's not worth trading your only young asset for.
Every team should at least listen to offers. Nobody should put earmuffs on when being proposed to. Except when it features Jared Dudley as the centerpiece.
Let's just assume this is nothing more than a February trade rumor.
