Any deal between the Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks involving Iman Shumpert would likely also send Matt Barnes to the Big Apple, Marc Stein and Ian Begley of ESPN report.
NBA trade rumors: Matt Barnes likely part of any deal between Clippers, Knicks
If the Knicks complete a deal with the Clippers this week, it’ll likely bring Matt Barnes aboard.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The two teams have reportedly discussed a deal centered around sending Shumpert and Raymond Felton to Los Angeles for Darren Collison and another player. Initially that player was going to be rookie Reggie Bullock, but the ESPN duo says shedding Barnes' multi-year contract would help make the trade more financially palatable for L.A.
Bookmark This
It’s unclear how far talks have progressed, since NBA.com’s David Aldridge says the deal isn’t “not happening,” but there’s still nearly 20 hours until the trade deadline.
With the Knicks seemingly desperate to shake up the roster before the deadline at any cost, that could mean dealing Shumpert while his value is down. Collison and Barnes aren’t exactly game-changers, making this a pretty questionable trade if you’re looking from the Knicks’ perspective.
Collison, to be fair, has played well this season. He's averaging 10.1 points and 3.6 assists per game while shooting an efficient 46 percent from the field, and stepped in admirably for Chris Paul earlier this season. Barnes, on the other hand, has struggled badly. This would mostly be about the Felton-to-Collison upgrade, which explains the puzzling nature of the deal.
See More:
