Former Rockets 3-and-D Wing Isn't Ready to Call it Quits

Will he latch on with another team?

Mar 28, 2019; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Rockets guard Iman Shumpert (1) dribbles the ball during the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The 2018-19 season for the Houston Rockets was rather unforgettable, as the team was engulfed in many storylines. After a franchise record-setting 2017-18 season that saw the team reach the Western Conference Finals in the first season of the James Harden-Chris Paul pairing, the team was expected to be even better in year two.

However, the team was without Trevor Ariza and Luc Mbah a Moute, who each signed with other Western Conference ballclubs in the offseason. The Rockets added James Ennis, in hopes of replacing Ariza., which proved to be a mistake.

In addition, the team was marred with injuries, as the aforementioned Paul missed a considerable amount of time, along with Clint Capela and Eric Gordon. The team desperately sought to add depth, ranging from Austin Rivers to Kenneth Faried to Danuel House.

Not to mention the offseason addition of Carmelo Anthony, which was rather short-lived.

At the trade deadline, the franchise made the decision to trade for Iman Shumpert, in what was seen by many as a move to get under the luxury tax.

However, Shumpert had won an NBA championship with the Cleveland Cavaliers and had proven himself to be a formidable 3-and-D wing. Shumpert ultimately didn't land much playing time in Houston, but played well in the Rockets' second-round postseason matchup against the Golden State Warriors, averaging 41.7 percent from the field and 38.1 percent from deep- the third-best clip on the team.

Shumpert hasn't taken the court since 2020-21, but isn't ready to call it quits either. Shumpert said as much in a recent interview with NBA reporter DJ Siddiqi.

"People ask me, 'Are you retired?' I don't think I'll ever say I'm done playing. I think if somebody said, 'Hey man, I just need you to come sit here and work out with the guys.' If everything made sense and I liked what I had to do, I wouldn't mind doing it. I don't think I'll ever go on a podium and say, 'I'm retiring from basketball.'"

Shumpert continued.

"I don't think I can do the whole 10-day, two-way contract," says Shumpert. "I have two kids – I don't need to do all that. If somebody needs me to come do what they know I can do. And it's something where I'm going to go there, I'm going to be in weight training, I'm going to be on the team and we're trying to win something, that's totally cool. If not, I'll stay out of everybody's way and do my podcast and play basketball when I feel like it. "

It'll be interesting to see what happens with Shumpert., if anything.

Want to join the discussion? Like Rockets on SI Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Rockets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.