Monday night was a big one in the 2015 NBA season, with a slew of big names changing uniforms. For those unfamiliar with the specifics of the deal, here goes:
Knicks Receive: Alex Kirk, Lou Amundson, Lance Thomas, 2019 Second-Round Pick from Cleveland
Cavaliers Receive: J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert, Protected First Round Pick From Oklahoma City
Thunder Receive: Dion Waiters.
Draft picks aside, this seems like a victory for all involved. Waiters had been unhappy and struggling in Cleveland with the Big 3 hogging up all the possessions; he will be far from Oklahoma City's first option, but reigning MVP Kevin Durant has assured Waiters he will be made to feel welcome.
Additionally, the Thunder were originally believed to have coughed up promising point guard Reggie Jackson in the deal. That's not the case, so they've simply traded away a role player and a protected pick for a proven NBA scorer.
The Cavaliers unloaded one shoot-first wing for another in J.R. Smith. They're banking on Smith being revitalized by a winning situation, and being willing to buy in to the Cavs culture. The more crucial piece in real life is likely Shumpert, who is now relieved of the burden to create offense.
He will be the Cavaliers' second-best wing defender behind LeBron James, and can pursue a future as a Jimmy Butler-type in Chicago as a terror on defense, and someone who can expect several wide-open looks a night.
The Knicks-well, they're in full tank mode. With Carmelo Anthony on the mend, and their record in the dumpster, it appears Phil Jackson has gone with the self-destruct option. The Knicks might be front runners for the first overall pick in the draft. They also will save $20 million of cap space between these moves, and releasing center Samuel Dalembert.
How does this change things for fantasy basketball owners?
We will start with Waiters. He third-year guard out of Syracuse seemed out of place in Cleveland once LeBron James and Kevin Love arrived, and unhappy with his low usage. Waiters' shot attempts dropped by four a night from last season to this one, and his usage rate is down by more than two percent.
In Oklahoma City he figures to be a third option behind Durant and Russell Westbrook, sharing the third banana duties with Serge Ibaka, who doesn't need the ball much to contribute to a winning effort. Waiters receives the biggest boost of an player involved in this deal.
Smith's numbers this year were down across the board despite an increased usage rate. While the increased usage didn't result in a rise in counting stats, this move to Cleveland doesn't necessarily mean he'll improve. Smith is a high-volume shooter, and with so much offense already in place with the Cavaliers, it'll take some time for Smith to find himself.
He also will be limited to roughly what Waiters was getting-10-11 shots per game. Efficiency isn't Smith's forte, so his time in Cleveland will include a few huge games, but mostly mediocre stat lines.
Shumpert isn't much more interesting either, but his stock will improve. Shumpert should see big minutes as a defensive ace, and he will be open. Owners in leagues that count 3-point percentage can view Shumpert as a speculative add as a fill-in type on nights with little action on the schedule.
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