Cleveland Cavaliers: Iman Shumpert to New Orleans just became very improbable

The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in the season of trade, but dishing Iman Shumpert to the New Orleans Pelicans just became very improbable.

Free agent and defensive-mastermind Tony Allen has signed with the New Orleans Pelicans on a one-year deal. Allen has a similar skillset to the Cleveland Cavaliers’ Iman Shumpert.

Shams Charania of the Vertical was the first to report the Pelicans’ acquisition.

Allen was a legend in Memphis. Both Allen and Zach Randolph brought Memphis their “Grind City” nickname. Now, both are absent from the team’s roster. The 13-year veteran started his career with six straight seasons with Boston then played seven straight with the Memphis Grizzlies. Allen has only averaged 10+ points per game once in his career and has yet to develop any kind of shooting game. Allen is a defensive man. It’s where he has made and will continue to make his living.

Of his 3.1 win shares last season, 2.9 came from the defensive end. Allen has developed into a feared defender in the NBA, but his addition to New Orleans might not be a terrific idea. Why? Because the Pelicans, who need perimeter shooting to make the Anthony Davis-DeMarcus Cousins duo more effective, signed Rajon Rondo and Tony Allen, both terrible shooters.

There’s still a small likelihood that the Pelicans trade for Shumpert because of his perimeter shooting and defense, but for now, it seems the Pelicans just added a veteran asset instead of trading for one. Along with signing Allen and Rondo, the Pelicans lost two of their top three perimeter shooters. Buddy Hield, who was traded for superstar DeMarcus Cousins, averaged 1.6 threes per game before he was traded. Langston Gallaway was the other one, and he averaged 1.8 threes per game before signing with the Pistons this offseason.

With the modern-day NBA continually depending more on the three-point shot, it seems interesting that the Pelicans are trying to build their team without good shooters. Shumpert could help their shooting, but his value might be too stout for the Pelicans to deal for him with Allen on their team.

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Therefore, it seems Iman Shumpert to the New Orleans Pelicans is now an afterthought, and it might have been for the best anyway.