Iman Shumpert Reportedly a Trade Target for Rockets Ahead of 2017 Deadline
With the NBA's trade deadline at 3 p.m. Thursday, the Houston Rockets are keeping an eye on Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert in an attempt to bolster their roster.
Per ESPN's Marc Stein, the Rockets "expressed interest" in acquiring Shumpert from the Cavaliers. In exchange for Shumpert, the Cavaliers are seeking guard Patrick Beverley as part of the deal, according to Stein.
The Rockets have already made one move ahead of the deadline, acquiring Lou Williams from the Los Angeles Lakers for Corey Brewer and a first-round pick on Tuesday, per Adrian Wojnarowski and Shams Charania of The Vertical.
ESPN.com's Bradford Doolittle wrote the Rockets adding "one more small-role defender wouldn't be a bad idea" before the deadline.
Shumpert would fill that role in Houston. He's been a successful defender throughout his NBA tenure, though his defensive box plus-minus of 0.5 this season is the third-lowest mark of his career, per Basketball Reference.
It's unclear what the Rockets would have to give up to acquire Shumpert or if the Cavaliers even want to trade him with J.R. Smith still injured, so there is still work for general manager Daryl Morey to do.
The Rockets own the third-best record (40-18) in the Western Conference, behind only the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. The trade deadline is their last effort to make substantial additions to keep pace with those teams and potentially beat them in the playoffs.
