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Nets Sign Former Cavaliers Guard After Caris LeVert Injury

Getty Brooklyn Nets vs. New York Knicks

The Brooklyn Nets announced Wednesday that they’ve signed a former NBA champion and member of the Cleveland Cavaliers in guard Iman Shumpert. The move comes after the news that Caris LeVert’s thumb injury could be a serious one. LeVert exited Sunday’s loss to the Phoenix Suns with what the team called a sprained right thumb.

The Nets fear LeVert has ligament damage in his right thumb, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. He will see specialists for further evaluation and is expected to miss several weeks.

The Nets are not looking for Shumpert to replace LeVert’s production, as the guard was averaging 16.8 points, 5.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists.
The Nets are simply looking for Shumpert to provide some depth to a roster that already has Wilson Chandler missing time due to a PEDs suspension. The veteran shooting guard split time with the Houston Rockets and Sacramento Kings last season, averaging 13.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. 

Wizards’ Isaiah Thomas Pleaded With Teams to Sign Shumpert

Earlier this year, Washington Wizards guard Isaiah Thomas vouched for Shumpert and other free agents who were still looking for NBA homes. Thomas tweeted, “My dude Iman Shumpert should be on a team right now!!!”

Thomas also told Fanatics View last month before the Wizards’ road opener against the Dallas Mavericks that it was disrespectful Shumpert, Jamal Crawford, JR Smith, and Carmelo Anthony were not on an NBA roster.

“It’s disrespectful. Carmelo is a Hall of Famer, Jamal Crawford is arguably the best sixth-man ever to play the game, JR Smith is a champion, and Iman Shumpert is another one that needs to be signed,” Thomas.

“These are great players that forever reason they aren’t on a team and they can help a young team a championship-contending team. They are really great players, and it just sucks that it is an unfortunate situation that they haven’t been signed. Hopefully, they are signed soon,” said the former All-Star guard.

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Who Will Replace LeVert in Nets Starting Line-Up?

Lewis would later ask Dinwiddie about Atkinson’s decision.

“We’ll see what happens. I don’t know how bad Caris’ injury is,” Dinwiddie told The Post. “Either way, you can always do that and stagger the minutes…There’s many different ways to go about it.

“What makes Kenny one of the best in the business is he’s going to figure it out and make sure our ship keeps sailing and riding right.”

This year for the Nets, Dinwiddie is averaging 17.1 points, 4.7 assists and 2.4 rebounds through 10 games as the primary backup to Kyrie Irving. Atkinson believes Irving has had a positive impact on Dinwiddie.

“I think Kyrie coaches him and holds him accountable and coaches him hard, which is good,” Atkinson said. “I think they have mutual respect obviously, but I saw them talking a lot tonight (November 9th, 2019).

“Sometimes for Spencer when something goes wrong or we didn’t run something right, Kyrie will say something to him. That’s what you have to do as a leader on the team. So, they have a lot of conversations. I think it’s good leadership by Kyrie  It’s so huge. Kyrie is carrying our message and he repeats it. It just carries a lot more weight.”

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Brooklyn Nets announced Wednesday they've signed former Cleveland Cavaliers guard Iman Shumpert following Caris LeVert's injury.