Getty J.J. Redick, trade bait
The Nets need some legit NBA players. Even after signing veteran free agent Iman Shumpert, and even with the current four-game winning streak rolling, depth is a major concern.
And there might be a solution out there—according to a report from The Athletic, the Nets are among the teams who have “expressed interest” in Pelicans guard J.J. Redick, an outstanding shooter and scorer now in his 15th year.
Sources: The Pelicans are focusing on northeast teams — 76ers, Nets, Celtics — as potential trade destination for 15-year veteran JJ Redick.
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The Nets are hurting once coach Steve Nash goes to the bench.
Brooklyn’s bench scores an average of 34.6 points, 20th in the NBA, and the efficiency has been lacking—the reserves shoot 43.0% from the field and only 34.5% from the 3-point line. Jeff Green is the Nets’ top option off the bench, and he averages just 8.3 points per game.
Since the trade for James Harden, which saw the Nets send away key reserves Caris LeVert and Jarrett Allen, Brooklyn’s reserves have been especially troublesome. In eight games, the Nets bench has averaged 24.3 points on 38.4% shooting and 30.8% from the 3-point line.
Redick Has Struggled With Pelicans This Season
Redick has made his career on the 3-point line, even leading the league once, in 2015-16, when he shot 47.5% from the arc while playing for the Clippers. He is a career 41.4% 3-point shooter.
Redick has struggled to make shots with the Pelicans this season, as he is shooting only 33.6% from the field and 29.8% from the 3-point line. New Orleans is moving toward giving playing time to its young players, especially guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is in his second season.
The Pelicans want to rebuild the roster around star forwards Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, and have been looking to move on from Redick to help that process. This is Redick’s second season in New Orleans—he was originally brought to the Pelicans to help open space for Williamson and to be a veteran presence on the young team.
JJ REDICK is feeling GOOD❗️
But coach Stan Van Gundy has not been emphasizing Redick’s skills, and admitted as much earlier this month. “That’s on me,” Van Gundy said when asked about Redick’s struggles this season. “He’s not playing as well as he can and that’s not his fault, it’s mine.”
Redick, though, placed the blame on himself.
“We can sit there and draw stuff up and all that but I’ve got to figure it out, and I will,” Redick said. “I’m fine. One year I started 3-25 from 3 playing for Stan and I shot 40% for the year. So, I’m always confident that the law of averages even out and I’ll be around 40% at some point. All good.”
Celtics, Nets, Sixers ‘Targeted’ For a Redick Trade
The report about the Pelicans shopping Redick featured three teams in the Atlantic Division—the Celtics, the Sixers and the Nets, all of whom have designs on competing for a championship. All three have expressed their interest in Redick and the Pelcians are said to be “targeting” the trio for a potential deal.
Redick played for Philadelphia previously, spending two seasons (2017-19) with the Sixers. Before that, he played four seasons in Los Angeles under coach Doc Rivers, who now coaches the Sixers. Redick’s family lives in Brooklyn.
He is an elite-level floor-spacer, but Redick does struggle defensively, especially as he has gotten older (he is 36). It is likely the Pelicans will seek a first-round pick for Redick, but that could prove too steep a price. There’s also a chance he could be bought out after the NBA’s March 25 trade deadline.
Redick is slated to earn $13.5 million this season.
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