New Orleans Pelicans: Front Office Grades for All 2019-20 Transactions

New Orleans Pelicans: Grading the 2019-20 moves by the front office.

July 15th, 2019

The Pelicans signed free agent J.J. Redick to a 2 yr/$26 million contract.

The Pelicans waived forward Christian Wood

Grade: C

The Pelicans got a valuable free agent shooter in J.J. Redick who didn’t disappoint. He was one of the top 3-point shooters in the league, played good team defense and provided the veteran leadership the Pels lacked.

Redick is a winner who missed the playoffs for the first time, but brought a confident, winning attitude to a young team. He is now an expiring contract that the Pelicans could definitely flip for some assets, or a guy they could extend on a lesser deal to end his career in New Orleans.

Redick is in great shape, still has plenty in the tank and was one of the only Pelicans who showed up in the bubble. It’s the second part of the day that brings down the Pelicans’ grade.

Waiving Christian Wood turned out to be a huge error, as he blew up for the Pistons, averaging 13.1 points, 6.3 rebounds and just under a block a game in 21.4 minutes, earning himself some Sixth Man of the Year votes in the process.

He made 38.6% of his long-range shots, was an athletic freak and definitely would have given the Pelicans more than Nicolo Melli, Kenrich Williams, Darius Miller or E’Twaun Moore. This is one the Pels wish they had back, as they got zero production in the bubble from any of these players and Wood would have been a nice fit next to Zion in small-ball lineups.

The Pels could try to sign Wood in free agency, but after this season he is going to get paid and no longer represents the low-cost value they could have had.