Thu, Feb 7, 2019 at 8:25pm

SHUMPERT TO HOUSTON IN A 3-TEAM TRADE

In a three-team trade, the Houston Rockets acquired forward/guard Iman Shumpert from the Sacramento Kings, and guards Nik Stauskas and Wade Baldwin IV from the Cleveland Cavaliers; the Kings acquired guard Alec Burks from Cleveland and a second-round draft pick in 2020 from Houston, and the Cavaliers acquired forward Marquese Chriss, guard Brandon Knight, a protected first-round draft pick in 2019 and a second-round draft pick in 2022 from Houston.

What does it give the Houston Rockets
This trade gives Houston some badly-needed depth. Shumpert was starting at small forward for the Kings, but he can also play at the 2-guard spot. He could start for Houston, which would place Eric Gordon back into his familiar sixth-man role for the Rockets. Stauskas and Baldwin IV add guard depth but are not likely to play much down the stretch.

What does it give the Sacramento Kings
Trading Shumpert creates a hole in the starting lineup but Bogdan Bogdanovic could move into Shumpert's old role, with new arrival Burks coming off the bench to replace Bogdanovic as the sixth man. This may work better for Sacramento, especially if Bogdanovic receives more playing time as a result of this swap. Adding another second rounder here is gravy.

What does it give the Cleveland Cavaliers
For Cleveland, adding another first rounder down the road was the clear motivation here. It is a good move, especially since both Stauskas and Baldwin IV had not even acclimated themselves to the Cavaliers yet. Chriss is a wild card but a talented big man who may be given the playing time he needs in Cleveland. Knight is injured and was added for cap purposes.

Fantasy impact
Shumpert has probably lost a lot of fantasy value after this deal, even if he remains a starter in Houston. That is because Gordon, Gerald Green and Austin Rivers will all cut into his playing time, while guards James Harden and Chris Paul play a ton of minutes too. Burks has a chance to emerge as a solid bench player for the Kings, while Chriss may benefit the most from this trade (though it may not occur until 2019-20). Stauskas, Baldwin IV and Knight remain non-factors from a fantasy standpoint.