Knicks would offer Shumpert in sign-and-trade for Steve Nash
Jul 4, 2012, 7:07 PM
On draft night in 2011, the Phoenix Suns had a choice
between Markieff Morris and Iman Shumpert, two players
they had a substantial amount of interest in.
They chose Morris and Shumpert went to the Knicks four
picks later, but that may not have been the end of the
story.
With Steve Nash appearing all but ready to leave the
Valley as a free agent and the Knicks trying to come up
with the cap space to match Toronto’s offer to the point
guard, rumors of a sign-and-trade deal are swirling. And,
one guy the Knicks would offer to entice the Suns to deal
is, in fact, Shumpert.
NY package would include Iman Shumpert, Toney Douglas and likely 3 low money players to get Nash salary needed to close gap on Toronto offer
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojYahooNBA) July 4, 2012
In other words, the deal would be Shumpert, who the Suns
likely still have interest in, and filler. And when we say
“filler,” we mean “nothing of any real value.”
But the key to the deal would be, of course, the former
Georgia Tech guard.
The 22-year-old averaged 9.5 points, 2.8 assists 3.2
rebounds and 1.7 steals per game as a rookie, but had his
season cut short when he suffered a torn ACL in his left
knee in Game 1 of the first round of the playoffs.
At 6-foot-5 with excellent leaping ability (assuming he
returns to form from the injury), Shumpert would certainly
be a nice piece to have going forward for a rebuilding
team.
But alas, this entire possibility — from the Knicks
possible offer to the Suns having interest — very much
hinges on the idea of Nash preferring to go to the Big
Apple. Should he be content to head to Toronto this will
all be moot, as the Raptors can sign the two-time MVP to a
big contract without needing the Suns’ help.
There is also a report that Nash wants his ex-wife to move their children to whatever city he chooses to play for.
