Cleveland Cavaliers shooting guard Iman Shumpert said his team would have no problem handling former teammate Kyrie Irving, who was traded to the Boston Celtics recently, when they face off in their season opener Oct. 17 at Quicken Loans Arena. In an interview with TMZ Sports, Shumpert expressed confidence that the Cavaliers will beat Irving and the Celtics, saying he knows how Kyrie play and “I know all his moves.”
Irving’s trade to the Celtics became official after they added a 2020 second-round pick to their earlier offer of Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic and the Brooklyn Nets’ unprotected 2018 first-round pick.
The Cavaliers asked for additional compensation when concerns about Thomas’ injured hip surfaced during his physical examination. Irving was officially introduced as a member of the Celtics in Friday’s press conference together with Gordon Hayward, whom Boston signed to a four-year, $128 million deal in the offseason.
Shumpert on trading block
The biggest question is if Shumpert will still be with the Cavaliers at the start of the regular season. Earlier, Dave McMenamin of ESPN reported that Shumpert also asked the Cavaliers for a trade after last season. However, Shumpert’s request went unnoticed by media because it was overshadowed by Irving’s trade demand, which he made last July 7 during his meeting with team owner Dan Gilbert.
During their meeting, Irving said he wanted a trade to get a chance to become the No. 1 option
During their meeting, Irving said he wanted a trade to get a chance to become the No. 1 option of a team, away from the shadows of LeBron James. McMenamin said the Cavaliers shopped Shumpert to the Minnesota Timberwolves and Houston Rockets but no deal happened.
Shumpert has no problem with Irving trade
During the TMZ interview, Shumpert said he had no problem when Irving asked for a trade, calling him “my bro”. Shumpert emphasized that the NBA is business and the Irving trade was part of it. “It’s a business at the end of the day. You can’t get mad when things don't go how you want it to go because it’s just business,” Shumpert said.
Shumpert also called on Thomas to “get your work shoes on” and prepare for the coming season.
However, Thomas is expected to miss the early part of next season and could return in January or even before the All-Star break when his injured hip fully heals. According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, Thomas is not even running yet, which is not a good sign. Lloyd said when he fully heals, Thomas needs more time to familiarize himself with his new teammates and to regain his rhythm. Last season, Thomas tallied 28.9 points, 5.9 assists and 2.7 rebounds per game. He also shot 46.3 percent from the floor, including 37.9 percent from beyond the arc.
