New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick is one of the players expected to be on the move to a contender before the trade deadline in March.
The 36-year-old sharpshooter, after all, is a battle-tested vet who's missed the playoffs just once, so far in his pro career.
It didn’t make much sense when the former Duke standout agreed to a two-year, $26.5 million deal with the Pels last year. Sure, NOLA needed his shooting and leadership, but his fit with the team’s current young core remains questionable.
Redick’s usage rate under head coach Stan Van Gundy has dropped this season, and so is his production. In 16 games, he is averaging just 7.9 points on a career-low 29.8 percent shooting clip from past the arc.
The Pelicans obviously want to create more opportunities for youngsters Kira Lewis Jr. and Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Seems like Redick has already worn his welcome in The Big Easy and could be of much use to other teams looking to bolster their bench.
The Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and the Boston Celtics are reportedly already the frontrunners to acquire the 6-foot-3 guard. While a buy-out is another option the Pels can explore, GM David Griffin would likely want to maximize all the assets they could get for him.
Let’s look at the best deals these three teams can offer the Pelicans for JJ Redick’s services.
Sixers give Mike Scott, Terrence Ferguson, Furkan Korkmaz for JJ Redick
The Sixers are already quite familiar with Redick since he played for the team for two seasons before his move to NOLA. Plus, the former Blue Devil already has a bond with the team’s new coach Doc Rivers, having played for him under the Clippers banner from 2013-17.
The Sixers stacked up on shooters in the offseason, putting up deals for Seth Curry and Danny Green. That plan has boded wonders for well so far since they raced atop the Eastern Conference Standings. Adding another proven sniper like Redick to the mix couldn’t hurt.
Redick’s sizable $13 million salary this year, however, could complicate things for Philly. To make the salaries work, they could send a package involving Mike Scott, Terrence Ferguson, and Furkan Korkmaz. This seems a lot to give up for an aging shooter like Redick, but they might have to do so if they also want to keep some of their core role players.
NOLA, meanwhile, could use these three additional bodies to beef up their bench. Plus, Scott and Korkmaz’s contracts expire after the season, giving them more cap flexibility next year.
Nets offer Spencer Dinwiddie for JJ Redick
Redick’s family reside in Brooklyn, so the Nets might just be his preferred destination if given a choice. Plus, he’ll also relish all the open looks he will get playing alongside the team’s three-headed monster of Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden.
However, the Nets do not really have a ton of assets to bargain with at the moment in the aftermath of that deal for Harden. They still own the rights to injured guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who is still an enticing trade piece despite being ruled out of the season due to a partially torn ACL.
While Dinwiddie is obviously more talented than Redick, NOLA would be taking a risk on this one considering he has a $12 million player option after the season. Unless they could get a commitment that he will re-sign with the team, they will risk giving up Redick for nothing.
If New Orleans decides to make this deal, their abundance of guard talent actually gives them the luxury to wait for the injured Nets guard’s recovery.
Celtics use trade exemption and send two future second-round picks for JJ Redick
Boston’s starting unit is pretty formidable as it is, but they still need to add one veteran wing who can space the floor. Redick is the perfect candidate for this since coach Brad Stevens could use him in a variety of ways in his intricate system.
The C’s actually have a couple of young guys on that bench that they could offer alongside future draft picks. However, Danny Ainge might want to consider using that massive $28.5 million trade exception they got from the Gordon Hayward deal to acquire Redick.
Sure, there are plenty of bigger names that the Celtics can snag with the richest trade exception recorded in league history.
However, Ainge must also be realistic on this one and consider using it on a sure thing like Redick, since the clause is only good for until April, which is a month after the trade deadline. In the event that Boston goes for other names with that exception, the Celtics could see Redick find his way to other contenders.
NOLA would certainly want to get more assets for a Redick deal and adding two future second-rounders seems like a fair price to pay.
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