With Thursday’s NBA trade deadline a day away, teams are scrambling to make last-minute improvements to their rosters.
One of those teams is the Houston Rockets.
The Rockets acquired guard Lou Williams from the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, and ESPN’s Marc Stein reported Wednesday that the Rockets are interested in acquiring another veteran guard before the deadline — Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
The defending champions reportedly are dangling Shumpert in an attempt to grab Rockets point guard Patrick Beverley, according to Stein, citing league sources.
The Rockets, however, reportedly are hesitant to trade Beverley, who is their best on-ball defender, according to ESPN’s Calvin Watkins and Stein, citing league sources.
Shumpert, who is in his sixth season in the league, is averaging 7.8 points and 2.9 rebounds per game this season.
Beverley could give the Cavaliers the playmaker LeBron James asked for, and he could give them a gritty defender to shadow Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry should the two teams meet in the NBA Finals for the third consecutive season.
The Rockets currently sit in third place in the Western Conference and could use Shumpert’s defensive versatility alongside the offensive firepower that head coach Mike D’Antoni has accumulated.
Thumbnail photo via Nelson Chenault/USA TODAY Sports Images
