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The New Orleans Pelicans are getting calls about Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick and they both could be on their way out after a disastrous start to the year for Stan Van Gundy's squad, per The Athletic's Shams Charania.
With the Pelicans towards the bottom of the Western Conference, they might end up being sellers at the deadline and teams have already inquired about the two guards.
With the trade market started to fluctuate and potential contenders looking to make moves, Ball and Redick should be able to contribute on a playoff team soon.
Redick is still shooting at a high clip and has the veteran experience that teams desire especially in the stretch run, so the list of suitors should be high. The deadline deals are always full of established veterans looking for a chance at a title, and bad teams looking to unload expiring contracts for any type of asset.
With that being said, here are three teams that could use Redick and should consider making a change for the 3-point specialist.
3. Brooklyn Nets
The Nets should be inquiring about any possible trade candidate with their current bench unit being far from intriguing. They are reportedly in on JaVale McGee and Kevin Love, but adding JJ Redick wouldn't be a bad idea.
Nets general manager Sean Marks is looking for ways to round out the roster, and bringing a guy like Redick off the bench would ease the pressure off of Big 3 James Harden, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving.
Although Redick's 3-point percentage is the lowest it has been in his entire career, the Pelicans' current team doesn't offer him much opportunity to get open.
JJ Redick finds Zion from half court! 👀pic.twitter.com/Ychzaarwum
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 22, 2021
The Nets bench currently features Jeff Green, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Landry Shamet, and Reggie Perry, so adding a player that can score at will is needed for Steve Nash's team.
Also, Redick could provide injury relief if one of the Big 3 were forced to miss time as he could play either guard spot or slide down and play the three next to Harden and Irving.
The Nets also recently received a $5.7 million disabled player exception from the season-ending injury to Spencer Dinwiddie, so the financial aspect should work out.
2. Dallas Mavericks
It's no secret that the Dallas Mavericks can use a spot-up shooter off the bench, especially in the ultra-talented Western Conference.
The Mavs currently sit at 8-9 and need to make up ground in the West, and their bench unit has been far from spectacular to start the year for Rick Carlisle's team.
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Trey Burke has picked it up in the past few weeks, but besides that their best bench player is James Johnson, and that's not saying too much.
Dallas will most certainly have to face one of the Los Angeles teams or the Denver Nuggets when the playoffs roll around and being able to score off the bench is what separates the good teams from the great teams.
Redick can also slide into the starting lineup until Dorian Finney-Smith returns and he can play the three next to Luka Doncic and ease the burden of the Slovenian, who has been carrying this Dallas team despite a tough first chunk of the year.
If the Mavs want to make a run at a Western Conference title they need to add some depth and some playoff experience, something that Redick brings to the table.
1. Philadelphia 76ers
A reunion with the Sixers would make the most sense for both sides, and it would help an already-loaded Philly team.
JJ Redick was a member of the Sixers from 2017 to 2019 and also played for current Sixers head coach Doc Rivers in their time together with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Redick had his best seasons in Philly, posting scoring averages of 17.1 and 18.1 points, and averaged a career-high in minutes in both seasons. The Sixers bench unit isn't bad by any means, but when you can add a guy like Redick you do, and it always helps when you know the head coach.
Shake Milton, Tyrese Maxey, and Matisse Thybulle can get the job done for the Sixers, but none of them have the playoff experience you want when it matters most.
Redick has familiarity with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid so the learning curve shouldn't be bad by any means. He could even become a starter for this team and played next to Ben Simmons and Danny Green and allow this team to space the floor even more than they already do.
The Sixers are atop the Eastern Conference and don't seem to be going anywhere, but will have to defeat the Boston Celtics or Brooklyn Nets if they want to make a trip to the NBA Finals, and Redick could definitely help this group immensely.
