What, me worry?
Iman Shumpert said whether Knicks owner James Dolan was ticked at him for allegedly balking at playing in the Las Vegas summer league in July isn’t his problem.
Shumpert played just one summer-league game before heading to China and Taiwan to help open an Adidas store and serve as NBA ambassador.
The controversy arose when an outtake from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith’s interview with Dwight Howard surfaced on YouTube. During an off-air chat, Smith told Howard he heard Dolan was furious at Shumpert for allegedly not wanting to play summer league and he wanted him traded. Smith said later on his radio show he believed Dolan was no longer peeved because Shumpert showed up.
“That’s fine, that’s the media,’’ Shumpert said at yesterday’s Delta Open event with U.S. Open’s No. 1 seed Serena Williams at Madison Square Park. “Things get blown up in this day and age, with social media. It’s crazy. That video got out there and stuff happens. I’m happy to be a Knick. I’m worried about business.”
Asked if he knows for certain if Dolan is still irritated, Shumpert said, “I don’t know. It doesn’t concern me. I got to make sure we go out and play basketball.’’
The Post reported Knicks coach Mike Woodson also was concerned Shumpert played one game because the Knicks wanted to test him at point guard.
But now that need isn’t as severe because the Knicks signed a third point guard, veteran Beno Udrih, this month.
Last week, Woodson wouldn’t guarantee Shumpert would start. He said Raymond Felton, Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler are the only guaranteed starters. Shumpert started 45 games last season.
Shumpert said playing time is Woodson’s call.
“I don’t know what they’re going to do,’’ Shumpert said. “It’s our job as players to be at the highest level we can play at. It’s up to Coach Woodie to make those decisions. He’s the guy who will be losing sleep on what guys he should play, lineups to play. I’m just going to be a piece of the puzzle.’’
The Knicks should benefit from having Shumpert, in his third season, for his first full training camp. His first season camp was abbreviated drastically because of the lockout. Last season, he was rehabbing a torn ACL in his left knee.
“It will be good this year just to have a training camp and be with the guys all year,’’ Shumpert said. “I’m so excited. Not to have a lockout, nothing going wrong this year.’’
Though Shumpert was solid last season, he has to be markedly better if the Knicks have any real hope of contending for a title. Upon his return Jan. 17, Shumpert had too many passive offensive nights, and Woodson pointed out his flaws during summer league.
Shumpert also said he wasn’t assertive enough offensively.
“Sometimes I saw myself just catching the ball, catching the ball and not looking to do anything with it,’’ Shumpert said. “My first year, every time I caught the ball, I was looking to do something. Whether it was the right decision, I don’t know. But I was always aggressive. When I first came back my second year, a lot of times I wasn’t aggressive.
“I would catch the ball, I’d be on my heels instead of my toes. You got to put your defender on your heels.’’
In his lone summer-league game, Shumpert was 0-for -5, with five turnovers as starting point guard. The Knicks have sent coaches to Shumpert since he got back from China to work him out.
Shumpert said he doesn’t feel he needed more than one summer-league outing.
“I played point guard my whole rookie year except at the end,’’ Shumpert said. “I’ve been at point guard before.’’
Shumpert also is tuning out the noise from Brooklyn, with Paul Pierce touting the Nets’ superiority.
“The Knicks are worried about the Knicks,’’ Shumpert said. “We’ll talk during the season.’’