If New York Knicks guard Iman Shumpert wants another season to prove himself in the Big Apple, he'll reportedly have to prove he can play the point in Knicks president Phil Jackson's triangle offense.
Shumpert has been the subject of trade rumors since last season. Despite the persistent rumors, the Knicks haven't been able to find a trade partner for him. Shumpert, who becomes a restricted free agent next summer, said he expects to have an improved season in Jackson's system; if he thrives in the offense, he could play himself off the trade block.
If Shumpert wants the team to pick up its option for the following season, though, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders believes he'll need to become efficient running the triangle offense as a point guard.
"For Shumpert to have a real future with the Knicks he is going to have to prove he can be that big point guard Phil Jackson loves in the triangle," Kyler wrote Thursday. "He'll have to be a facilitator and knock down shots. If Shumpert can't play the one for head coach Derek Fisher than he is battling for minutes with Tim Hardaway Jr and JR Smith and he may lose that battle as both are likely better two guards in the triangle than he is."
Shumpert has been working out all summer and studying the triangle offense, hoping to improve enough to show the Knicks he belongs in New York. One Knicks executive claimed last season Shumpert's poor numbers were because he wasn't being utilized the right way by former coach Mike Woodson. If that was the case, Shumpert - now one full season removed from ACL surgery - could thrive in the new offense, which should increase his number of open shots.
