Iman Shumpert’s name is the latest rumor to be connected to the New Orleans Pelicans, but he’s not an obvious candidate to fill the bereft roster. The Cleveland guard has mainly played at the two throughout his career — the Pelicans have five healthy backcourt players, and his contract would infringe upon the 2018-19 cap sheet, which must prioritize some sort of maximum deal to DeMarcus Cousins yet leave enough space for other free agents.
That said, Shumpert is wholly more appealing than any of the three names the Pelicans have been linked to from yesteryear: Martell Webster, Josh Smith and Chase Budinger.