Anyone who thought the Knicks were on the verge of trading Iman Shumpert should truthfully get a grip of reality.
This kid made a name for himself, as only a rookie, as being one of the greatest perimeter defenders in all of basketball. We weren't about to give that up. Not for a career 8.9 points per game type of player in Dudley (of all players) we weren't. It was laughable in regards to the fans who were talking "trade Iman Shumpert" as if we were on the verge of landing an elite NBA talent.
Iman Shumpert can guard the 1/3 position(s) with the overall athletic ability/defensive potential and/or hunger on the defensive end of the court to become our very own Joe Dumars, Scottie Pippen, Gary Payton, Bruce Bowen, Ron Artest, Shane Battier, Tony Allen and/or Mike Conley type of perimeter defender.
This kid is only 22 years of age with overall athletic abilities in which go through the roof, and he's only been back from injury for 12 games. How quickly some forgot that Shumpert and Chandler changed the entire culture of our New York defense last season.
Much respect to Carmelo Anthony for making it known, that our Knicks were not about to trade away our only young/up and coming NBA talent. Props to Mike Woodson for pretty much stating the same. This could become the type of team/player/franchise support in which gives Shumpert extra fire/confidence moving forward.