Three team trade sends J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert to Cavaliers; Dion Waiters to Thunder

Cleveland and Oklahoma City take their own gambles, while New York looks to clear cap space.

The New York Knicks have agreed to send J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cleveland Cavaliers, while Cleveland will send Dion Waiters to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Cleveland will also send Lou Amundson, Alex Kirk, and a 2019 second round pick to New York, while Oklahoma City will send a protected 1st round pick to Cleveland, and Lance Thomas to New York. New York plans to waive Amundson, Kirk, and Thomas, along with Samuel Dalembert.

The Knicks were looking to clear cap space, and now have about $28 million free to spend this offseason. While Smith, Shumpert, and Dalembert were regulars in the rotation, this trade indicates none were in the team’s long term plans. Still, the Knicks received virtually nothing in this deal.

Cleveland moves Waiters, who struggled to fit with the rest of the roster, and received the unpredictable Smith, and the defensive minded Shumpert. While Shumpert offers value on defense, and still has some upside, Smith is a bit of gamble. He could be a great scorer off the bench, in theory, but his unpredictable nature makes it unclear whether he will work out.

Oklahoma City could look to use Waiters in a similar role to how they used James Harden years ago, but Waiters has desired to be a starter in he past. He will also be a bit of a gamble, but a change of scenery may be what Waiters needs to become a more consistent player.