This summer hasn't been very good for the Cleveland Cavaliers as they have struggled to put the pieces together and come back stronger next season. The loss against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals has affected the Team, and it seems they haven't been able to recover from it yet. It all started with their general manager David Griffin, as the Cavaliers refused to give him a contract extension.
After this, LeBron James was disappointed with the team and its owner, Dan Gilbert, but the real shock came when it was revealed that Kyrie Irving wants to leave.
After a long drama and numerous rumors, Irving was finally traded to another team, as the Cavaliers reached a deal with the Boston Celtics. At the end, Cleveland lost Irving, but gained many valuable players in return, including Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder.
Just for a day, it seemed that the Cavaliers are ready to go into a new season. However, it was recently revealed that Iman Shumpert could leave the team this offseason as well.
Iman Shumpert wants to leave
ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that Iman Shumpert requested a Trade earlier this summer. However, this trade was "lost" because of Kyrie Irving's situation. Everyone was focused on Irving's trade request as it was one of the biggest stories in the NBA this offseason.
Reportedly, the Cavaliers talked to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Houston Rockets regarding Shumpert and his potential trade. Both the Timberwolves and the Rockets have made some big moves this summer, so it wouldn't be surprising if they keep pursuing other great players.
Cleveland Cavaliers want to trade Shumpert
Shams Charania of The Vertical reported that Iman Shumpert did not actually make a trade request.
According to Charania, it was the Cleveland Cavaliers who have been actively shopping Shumpert around the league.
It is unknown why the Cavaliers are trying to trade Shumpert to another team as he was a solid backup for Cleveland. However, one reason could be his contract as the guard will be paid $10.3 million next year. Considering that the Cavaliers are above salary cap and that they have no money to waste, they might be trying to get rid of Shumpert's contract and decrease their luxury tax for the next year.
To make things worse, Shumpert has a player option on his contract for 2018/19 season. If he decides to opt in, his annual salary will rise to more than $11 million, which is something the Cavaliers might not be able to afford.
