New Orleans Pelicans: A Compelling Trade With the New York Knicks

Examining J.J. Redick’s fit with the New York Knicks

Why The Knicks Make This Trade

For the New York Knicks, this trade accomplishes several things that they’re looking to do this offseason under new team president Leon Rose. This all comes based off of the wonderful inside coverage of the Knicks from SNY’s Ian Begley.

Let’s start with some of the biggest points Begley made about Leon Rose when the Knicks announced his hiring. Rose opened up his tenure in New York by saying that he viewed youngsters R.J. Barrett and Mitchell Robinson as franchise cornerstones.

Begley’s reports continued suggesting that Rose’s goal was to add shooters to their cornerstones and maintain salary cap flexibility. J.J. Redick and his expiring contract will do both of those things for the New York Knicks.

Again, Redick is one of the 15 best shooters in NBA history, and adding his 42 percent stroke from downtown will give Barrett and Robinson a needed outlet on quick passes. Redick also makes sense the more we think about Tom Thibodeau.

Coach Tom Thibodeau loves having veteran guys in his rotation who are smart basketball players. Redick fits perfectly with the lineage of veteran guards on Thibodeau teams like Kyle Korver and Kirk Hinrich. Reports also suggest that Thibodeau wants to shoot more 3s than he did in previous coaching stops, and Redick makes that happen.