Iman Shumpert stays with Cavaliers for $40 million over 4 years

Restricted free agent wing Iman Shumpert has signed a 4-year, $40 million dollar deal with the Cavaliers, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. The final year is said to be a player option. Yahoo! has confirmed the report.

HOW

Shumpert became a restricted free agent this summer as a result of the Cleveland Cavaliers extending him a qualifying offer with the conclusion of his rookie contract. That move gave Cleveland the right to match any offer given to Shumpert this summer while ensuring he would otherwise return next season on a one-year deal.

Originally drafted by the New York Knicks in 2011, Shumpert was traded to the Cavaliers along with J.R. Smith midway through the 2014-15 season. A starter in New York, Shumpert came off the bench for Cleveland until injuries found him starting against the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. He struggled throughout that series, however, due to a shoulder injury, and averaged just nine points on 36 percent shooting.

Shumpert hasn't made a ton of progress in his career, still showing the potential as a shooter and defender but little else. He still hasn't returned to the career-highs in points, assists and steals that he set as a rookie, and is shooting below 40 percent for his career. The upside and youth are still there, but Shumpert's career arc has stagnated in recent years.

The Cavaliers aren't walking away from Shumpert even after that disappointing postseason. The shooting guard was playing an unusually large role, after all, and when allowed to focus on defense and spot-up shooting, he can still be a weapon. When healthy, Cleveland should be able to use Shumpert in a role that better suits his skillset instead of asking him to put the ball on the floor and create offense, two things he's always struggled with.