Think the big thing to hope for right now is that we A) Find someone who values Shumpert and will give us a little something back for him while giving us a TPE and 2) Hayward going back to Utah.
If he goes back, Utah would be in line to be a taxpaying team. I don't think that's something they generally like to do. So if we had a big TPE, we could be in position to eat someone off of their roster (like Burks). Burks can't stay healthy, and his value is low accordingly, but if he is healthy, he gives you what you want Shumpert to give you. 100% effort on the defensive end at all times and an ability to guard smaller quicker guards and bigger, more physical guards.
That's the type of risk I think is worth taking. Take a shot at an injury prone guy and hope you get lucky and he stays healthy.
But you have to move Shumpert sooner rather than later. The order in which these things happens matters. If Utah keeps Hayward before we've moved Shumpert, that lowers our chances of finding a spot for Shumper if they, too, look to dump someone like Burks.
Some thing in San Antonio. If we can get a TPE before San Antonio decides they need to move Danny Green (like, let's say, Jonathon Simmons gets a massive offer), that takes away one team that can/will take on Green and opens us up as possible destination.
None of these things are guarantees. But one thing is: Shumpert doesn't play with the necessary intensity year round and doesn't produce against Golden State. If the worst thing that happens is we trade him for a TPE and then can't find a good use for the TPE, then are we really hurting ourselves all that much? No.
But the reward of finding a guy like Danny Green or a healthy Alec Burks because we made a preemptive move like this is big. Green specifically.
And these are the types of risks we need to take to help close the gap. If they pan out, we give ourselves a better shot, if they don't, well, we weren't winning anyway. And with the East getting ever weaker, the odds of us slipping up in the playoffs before the Finals because we traded away some rotational players lessens.
