J.J. Redick

Pelicans Target Atlantic Division Contenders For Redick

The Pelicans are targeting Atlantic Division contenders – the Nets, Sixers, and Celtics – as trade destinations for swingman J.J. Redick, per The Athletic writers Shams Charania, William Guillory, Jay King, Derek Bodner, Alex Schiffer and Danny Leroux.

As we relayed last week, teams have been reaching out to New Orleans about guards Redick and Lonzo Ball.

The Athletic piece suggests that Redick, on an expiring $13.1MM contract, would like to play for one of these northeast-based clubs, as his wife and children live in Brooklyn. Should Redick not be dealt by the March 25 deadline, the veteran could also become a buyout candidate for a contending team.

A catch-and-shoot wing like Redick could be a fit for all three clubs, and all three have expressed interest, per The Athletic.

Redick was the starting shooting guard for the Sixers from 2017-19, while Boston could use another reliable shooter. Brooklyn, meanwhile, depleted many of its potential trade pieces in the blockbuster deal that netted the team All-Star guard James Harden. Schiffer notes that the presence of newly-extended swingman Joe Harris – a similar player to Redick – and the Nets’ relative lack of assets may make a deal a longer shot for Brooklyn.

The 36-year-old Redick has been a healthy scratch for the last two Pelicans contests. At 7-11, New Orleans is currently out of the playoff picture in the West.

Redick is averaging 7.9 PPG in 19.9 MPG, his lowest such totals since his age-24 season in 2008/09. A career 41.4% three-point shooter and 89.2% free throw shooter, Redick is connecting on just 29.8% of his long range attempts this season, though he is making a stellar 100% on his 1.6 free throw tries.

Pelicans Receiving Trade Calls On Lonzo Ball, J.J. Redick

The Pelicans are receiving trade calls on Lonzo Ball and J.J. Redick, according to a report from Shams Charania of The Athletic.

New Orleans has shown a willingness to discuss the two guards with interested teams, Charania writes, and rival executives believe the Pelicans will be prominent in the trade market this season.

The news isn’t exactly surprising — the team has opened the 2020/21 season with a 5-10 record and both Ball and Redick didn’t suddenly become available. A move for either player would likely result in more playing time for young guards Nickeil Alexander-Walker and/or Kira Lewis.

The Pelicans have briefly discussed a potential deal involving Kelly Oubre Jr. with the Warriors, according to Charania, though it hasn’t gained any traction. It’s unclear whether Golden State would’ve been targeting Ball or Redick in such a deal.

Teams typically begin ramping up dialogue in the weeks prior to the trade deadline, which is scheduled for March 25 this season.

In addition to Ball, Redick, Alexander-Walker and Lewis, the Pelicans also have point guard Eric Bledsoe on their roster. Bledsoe, 31, has started in 13 of 14 games this season.

Southwest Notes: Pelicans, White, Silas, Doncic

With the starting Pelicans backcourt tandem of Eric Bledsoe and Lonzo Ball struggling to score, William Guillory of The Athletic suggests that swapping in sharpshooter J.J. Redick for Bledsoe could help unlock the club’s offense.

Redick could benefit by playing alongside new starting center Steven Adams, the best screener on the New Orleans roster. With Redick starting, All-Star small forward Brandon Ingram could become the club’s primary ball handler.

There’s more out of the NBA’s Southwest Division:

  • Newly-extended Spurs guard Derrick White has been activated by San Antonio, and thus will be available for the first time since his August surgery on the second toe of his left foot, per Tom Orsborn of the San Antonio Express-News. The Spurs host the Lakers tomorrow night.
  • New Rockets head coach Stephen Silas is continuing to work Houston’s newly-available players into his game planning as they come back from COVID-19 health protocols, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
  • Mavericks All-Star guard Luka Doncic is hoping to get out of a bumpy offensive start to his third NBA season, according to Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning News. He had one of worst scoring performances as a pro on Wednesday, scoring just 12 points against the Hornets in a 118-99 loss. “Obviously I’ve got to do way better,” Doncic said. “I can still prove so much, so I’ve got to work on those shots every day and if you work on it, they’re going to fall in eventually, so that’s my point of view.” Doncic has gone cold from long distance this season, connecting on just 9.5% of his 5.3 three-point attempts a night.

Southwest Notes: Vassell, DeRozan, Tucker, Pelicans, Redick, Bledsoe

Spurs swingman DeMar DeRozan is helping to teach rookie Devin Vassell the nuances of the NBA game, Jeff McDonald of The San Antonio Express News writes. Vassell was selected with the 11th overall pick in the draft and also plays on the wing. “A lot of times, even in practice, he comes to me and asks questions,” DeRozan said. “That’s big for a young guy to to be able to come to our vets and just ask questions, ask what he is doing wrong, what he can do better.” Vassell had 12 points, six rebounds and three steals in 24 minutes during his preseason debut.

We have more from the Southwest Division:

  • Seeking an extension, Rockets forward P.J. Tucker says he wants to go “where I am wanted,” Tim MacMahon of ESPN tweets. Tucker promises to “do my job” even if the club doesn’t offer him an extension. Tucker, who will make approximately $7.97MM this season, will enter unrestricted free agency next summer.
  • The Pelicans’ acquisition of center Steven Adams from the Thunder and subsequent decision to give him an extension was a head-scratcher, John Hollinger of The Athletic opines. They could have instead acquired a better shooter in Al Horford or re-signed Derrick Favors. They also would have been better off holding onto George Hill, rather than dealing him in the same multi-team trade involving Denver and Oklahoma City, Hollinger contends. Hill is a better shooter than Eric Bledsoe and New Orleans also has enough depth at the point, Hollinger adds.
  • Bledsoe will have to pass a series of tests before he can rejoin the Pelicans, coach Stan Van Gundy told The Athletic’s Will Guillory and other media members (Twitter link). Bledsoe left the market due to a personal matter and missed a COVID-19 test. J.J. Redick was held out of the team’s preseason game on Monday due to contact tracing.

Pelicans Notes: Young Talent, Redick, SVG, Free Agents

In his first press conference with his new team on Tuesday, Pelicans head coach Stan Van Gundy had high praise for forward Zion Williamson, the top pick in the 2019 draft, per Andrew Lopez of ESPN.

“He’s a multi-talented guy,” Van Gundy said. “I don’t look at him in any way as far as is he a four or a five. I’m not sure those labels matter when it comes to him.”

Van Gundy spoke highly of point guard Lonzo Ball, the No. 2 pick in the 2017 draft, as well.

“So I think as good as Lonzo is now, and he’s very good, I think that we can expect a good arc of improvement for him over the next few years,” Van Gundy opined.

The Pelicans’ new head coach also stressed emphasizing defense improvement for the club.

There’s more out of the Big Easy:

  • Veteran Pelicans guard J.J. Redick, who had played under Van Gundy while with the Magic, recommended the hire to Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin. “I had mentioned to Griff back in August that I thought he’d be great for the job,” Redick said on his podcast The Old Man and the Three, as Andrew Lopez of ESPN relays (Twitter link).
  • With the hire of an experienced coach at the level of Van Gundy, the Pelicans are hopeful that their new head coach can optimize the potential of the team’s young talent, according to Scott Kushner of NOLA.com.
  • William Guillory of The Athletic assessed some ideal free agent candidates for the Pelicans in a new mailbag. With center Derrick Favors an unrestricted free agent this offseason, free agent veterans like Marc Gasol, Tristan Thompson, Meyers Leonard, and Aron Baynes could all be effective replacements should New Orleans opt to move on from Favors. Defensive-oriented Heat forward Jae Crowder is mentioned as another solid fit for the team to generally shore up its frontcourt depth.

Pelicans Notes: Van Gundy, Udoka, Lee, Redick

The hiring of Stan Van Gundy shows the sense of urgency within the Pelicans organization, William Guillory of The Athletic opines. Anything less than immediate playoff contention on a roster headed by Zion Williamson will be viewed as a failure, Guillory notes. Van Gundy would not have left his TV job for a rebuilding project and Pelicans executives will expect immediate results from their big-name hire, Guillory adds.

We have more on the Pelicans:

  • Ime Udoka and Charles Lee are potential additions to the Pelicans’ coaching staff, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reports. Udoka was an assistant under Brett Brown with the Sixers last season after a seven-year stint with the Spurs. Lee has worked under Mike Budenholzer since the 2014/15 season, first with the Hawks and then with the Bucks.
  • The fact that Van Gundy can concentrate on coaching rather than wearing two hats fosters the belief he’ll be a success in New Orleans, according to Scott Kushner of the New Orleans Times Picayune. Van Gundy was a flop in Detroit largely due to his personnel decisions. Van Gundy’s gregarious personality was a key factor in the hire, as Pelicans executive David Griffin feels Van Gundy will be able to connect with a young roster and make players accountable.
  • J.J. Redick is unlikely to be traded with Van Gundy on the bench, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst (hat tip to Sportando). Redick, who has one year and $13MM remaining on his contract, played for Van Gundy in Orlando.
  • If you didn’t get all the details on Van Gundy taking the coaching reins in New Orleans, we have them here.

J.J. Redick Talks Departure From Sixers

J.J. Redick spent just two seasons in the City of Brotherly Love, but they were solid campaigns, both of which resulted in postseason appearances for the Sixers. Somewhat surprisingly, however, Philadelphia elected to let Redick walk in free agency last summer.

Redick inked a two-year, $26.5MM pact with the Pelicans, but the sharpshooting veteran still has some strong thoughts on his departure, as he expressed on Stephen Jackson and Matt Barnes’ “All The Smoke” podcast, per the Philly Voice.

“They f—-d up not bringing me back, man,” Redick said. “They f—-d up not bringing me back.”

Redick, 36, enjoyed two of his best seasons with the Sixers, averaging 17.6 PPG and 2.8 APG across 30.8 minutes in 146 regular-season contests. However, accommodating large-dollar deals for the likes of Al Horford and Tobias Harris meant that the Sixers priced themselves out of certain acquisitions, Redick being at the forefront.

Uncertainty surrounding the Sixers remains as the organization parted ways with longtime head coach Brett Brown and today made official the hiring of Doc Rivers. Frequent roster turnover has been a constant for the Sixers in the past decade and Redick indicated that has been one of many issues that hurt the team’s chances in its championship pursuit.

“I’ve said this before, but the one consistent in Philly has been personnel in and out,” Redick said. “Like, you just have a ton of players that come through there. And so I think — Joel (Embiid) talked about this on my podcast — for him, he’s played with like, I don’t even f—ing know at this point, hundreds of teammates. It’s just a rotating cast of teammates, you know?”

J.J. Redick Aiming To Play Four More Years

Pelicans sharpshooter J.J. Redick turned 36 in June and has just one year left on his current contract with the team, but he’s not thinking about calling it a career when his deal ends next year. As he tells Mark Medina of USA Today, Redick is still hoping to play for several more seasons.

“I realized this year I want to keep playing as long as possible. My goal is to play four more years,” Redick said. “Year 18. That’s my goal. I’ll play to 39. Then my offseason, I’ll turn 40 and then I can walk away at that point. That’s my goal. We’ll see. The body has to hold up.”

The 11th overall pick in the 2006 draft, Redick has already played 14 seasons in the NBA after spending four full years at Duke. However, there’s no indication that he has lost a step as he enters his late-30s.

In 2019/20, Redick averaged 15.3 PPG on .453/.453/.892 shooting in 60 games (26.4 MPG) for New Orleans. All of those scoring and shooting rates were above his career averages. While it’s probably safe to assume he’ll see his minutes cut back to some extent over the next few years, his outside shooting ability should continue to make him a valuable role player for the Pelicans or – eventually – another team.

In his conversation with Medina, Redick praised the Pelicans’ young building blocks – Brandon Ingram, Zion Williamson, and Lonzo Ball – and suggested that there’s “a lot of potential and excitement” in New Orleans going forward. However, he admitted he wasn’t satisfied with the way the club’s 2019/20 campaign ended.

“I thought from a talent perspective and a depth perspective, we were a playoff team this year. So not to reach your potential as a team, you have to be disappointed in that,” Redick said. “You obviously have to self-reflect and self-grade with how could I have been better. Down the line, each guy has to do that.”

Pelicans Notes: Zion, Redick, Ingram, Restart

Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry hasn’t spoken to Zion Williamson since he left Orlando for an “urgent family medical matter,” and there’s no timetable for the star rookie to return to the team, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic. Few details have emerged about Williamson’s situation since the announcement was made Thursday. Williamson will likely have to be quarantined for at least four days once he returns to the Walt Disney World Complex.

“Basically, we’re going to do our best to hold it down for him until he gets back, whenever that is,” J.J. Redick said on his latest podcast. “As a teammate, he’s a family member. We’ll do our best to keep this thing rolling. But obviously whatever is going on, we want the best for him. I feel awful for him because so much of this season has been a roller coaster for him. It seemed like he was in such a good place. Hopefully we get him back here soon.”

There’s more on the Pelicans, all courtesy of Vardon:

  • Redick, who turned 36 last month, talked about the strain placed on older players by stopping and restarting the season. In addition to the four-month hiatus, the league is hoping to begin next season in December, which would result in an unusually short offseason. “I feel good still. I feel like I have years left in my body,” Redick said. “As many of you know who have children and have a family, as they get older and you start missing milestones, it becomes harder to be away from them. I think as an athlete you want to have some sort of storybook ending. Most of us don’t get to have that. When you get towards the end, at least my thought process is as I get towards the end you sort of examine things in the moment. And, yeah, there’s uncertainty about next season and maybe even beyond that, it’s in the back of my mind about how much longer I want to play.”
  • With NBA awards to be based only on games already played, Gentry is campaigning for Brandon Ingram to be named Most Improved Player. Ingram posted career highs with 24.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists and helped New Orleans stay in the playoff race while Williamson was sidelined.
  • Gentry raved about the steps the league has taken to create a real-game atmosphere for the restart. The Pelicans will be part of the first game, facing the Jazz on TNT. “I think everybody assumed we were just going to play in an empty arena and you’re going to hear the balls bouncing and the officials talking,” he said, “but I think you’re going to be pleasantly surprised when you see the atmosphere we’re going to be playing in.”

J.J. Redick Out At Least Two Weeks With Hamstring Strain

After leaving Friday’s game with a leg injury, Pelicans guard J.J. Redick has been diagnosed with a left hamstring strain, the team announced today in a press release. According to the Pelicans, Redick will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

Redick, 35, has been a key contributor in his first season in New Orleans, averaging 14.9 PPG, 2.6 RPG, and 2.0 APG in 54 games (26.4 MPG). The veteran sharpshooter has been his usual effective self from beyond the arc, knocking down 2.9 three-pointers per game at a 45.2% rate.

The Pelicans lost one of their top outside threats, Darius Miller, to a season-ending Achilles tear before the regular season began, but have still been one of the league’s most dangerous three-point-shooting teams in 2019/20. They currently rank third in both threes per game (14.1) and 3PT% (.375). However, Redick is the team leader in both categories and New Orleans will miss his floor spacing.

In Redick’s absence, E’Twaun Moore figures to take on a larger role, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker has a chance to earn some rotation minutes again. Jrue Holiday and Josh Hart will likely be leaned on heavily by the Pelicans too as the club continues its push for a playoff spot.