The New Orleans Pelicans are currently shopping veteran guard JJ Redick, and a move to the northeast is the preferred move.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported on Sunday that the Philadelphia 76ers, Brooklyn Nets, and Boston Celtics are the focus of the Pelicans as they try to move the 36-year-old.
Redick and his family live in Brooklyn which is why he would want a trade to either of those three teams. It doesn’t necessarily hurt that each of those teams are seen as championship contenders. He spent two seasons with the 76ers from 2017-2019, averaging 17.6 points per game while shooting 40.7% from three-point range.
In New Orleans, Redick has performed as a reserve through 16 games this year, posting 7.9 points in just under 20 minutes of playing time per game. He’s struggled from long-range, too, posting a 29.8% three-point shooting mark.
He would continue to perform under that reserve tag regardless of which northeast team he is potentially dealt to.
In Philadelphia, he would provide a proven, veteran shooting rotation alongside Seth Curry at the 2 to help the Sixers’ offense continue to spread the floor. Attaining outside shooters has been one of the priorities of new president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey, as he picked up Curry and Danny Green.
The early returns have been promising, especially considering that All-Star center Joel Embiid has been putting up monster numbers in the new-look offense put together by Morey and directed by head coach Doc Rivers. Redick’s familiarity with Embiid and Simmons only makes him that much more of an attractive option for a team looking for that added boost to stay atop the Eastern Conference.
In Boston, a need for Redick might have a bit more intensity, though. Starting shooting guard Marcus Smart suffered a Grade 1 calf strain against the Los Angeles Lakers and could miss between one-to-two weeks. Picking up Redick at least stabilizes the Celtics’ backcourt until Smart is ready to return.
For the Nets, Redick would supply some much-needed depth following after Brooklyn dealt a large number of resources away in the deal that brought James Harden in from Houston. While Harden has the 2 spot secured for years to come with superstar flair, Redick adds that shooting touch to a rotation that recently acquired Iman Shumpert for some much-added defensive bolstering.
