Sacramento Kings rumors: Kings thinking about acquiring Iman Shumpert
By Tyler Watts
The Sacramento Kings rumor mill has picked up once again, this time with reports that the Kings are interested in trading for Iman Shumpert.
The Sacramento Kings and the NBA, in general, is usually quiet during this period of the year. The offseason is winding down, and training camp is still a few weeks away, so there is a small window of dead air. The rumor mill sprung back to life in recent days for the Kings, though.
Sam Amico reported on his AmicoHoops website that the Kings have interest in Iman Shumpert. After the Kyrie Irving trade, Shumpert’s role and status in Cleveland are up in the air. He looks ticketed for minimal minutes and probably the best thing for both parties would be a trade.
Should Sacramento be interested in acquiring Shumpert? That is the question we will explore.
Related Story: Who should start at small forward for the Kings in 2017-2018
Small forward problems
I have mentioned it ever since the Kings signed Vince Carter to take their final roster spot, Sacramento is light at the three position. Buddy Hield, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Garrett Temple all play best as shooting guards. Justin Jackson is not NBA-ready, and Vince Carter is 40 years old. Carter should only be asked to play a maximum of 25 minutes at his advanced age despite his still stellar play. That leaves minutes available and a need for a defensive stopper to go against opposing Paul George and Kevin Durant types.
Can Shumpert play the three?
Enter Shumpert who has always played solid defense and at age 27 should be able to handle a 20-25 minute per game role on the wing for Sacramento. The problem with Shumpert is that he is mostly a shooting guard as well. The Kings have plenty of options at the guard positions, but they need a player who can guard threes. Shumpert does not have much experience in that area.
Verdict
Given the Cavaliers excess at the position, Shumpert most likely can be had for a small fee, and I am on board with the Kings acquiring him at a low cost in the hopes that he fills a need.
Final Thoughts
The Sacramento Kings are interested in Iman Shumpert according to Sam Amico. The Kings could do worse than acquiring Shumpert for the coming season. At best, he fills a need and makes Sacramento a better team this season. At worst, Shumpert cannot play the three and rides the bench behind Hield, Bogdanovic, and Temple. If the acquisition cost is low, why not take the gamble?
A Royal Pain is the place for all things Sacramento Kings this season. We have a ton of draft, free agency and summer league articles up on the site. We will now shift our focus to all the information you need to prepare for training camp, so please check back often. Thank you for reading.