New Orleans Pelicans: Three free agents that could replace JJ Redick
With J.J. Redick on the trade market, it’s time to explore which free agents the New Orleans Pelicans could replace the Duke sharpshooter with
JJ Redick has sat out the New Orleans Pelicans’ last two games and, despite Stan Van Gundy’s niceties in public about one of the NBA’s premier shooters and most respected veteran players, it is safe to assume that Redick does not figure in the Pelicans’ long-term plans.
The 36-year-old shooting guard has started this season ice cold, shooting below 30 percent from three and playing less than 20 minutes per game. Redick has never shot worse over a full season and never played less since his third season in the NBA when he was still finding his footing.
The reasons for this apparent decline seem obvious. First, Redick has never been a sturdy defender or elite athlete, both of which become more glaring weaknesses as he battles father time. Second, he is not a good fit for Van Gundy’s current system which prioritizes defense, grinds down the speed of a game, and has the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA’s bottom ten for three-point attempts.
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Redick is still an able contributor and would be a heralded veteran presence and floor spacer on every NBA team, but his future does not seem to go through the Smoothie King Center. Executive vice president of basketball operations seems primed to revamp the Pelicans’ roster, to some extent, and Redick also deserves the chance to keep competing for his first championship ring after a long career.
But with Redick gone, the Pelicans’ shooting woes stand to be even more amplified. Teams still rightfully feared Redick even if his shot wasn’t falling. It’s unlikely that his shooting has simply fallen off a cliff and it will probably regress to the mean at some point, just not in New Orleans. However, that still leaves the Pelicans with congested spacing that needs to be addressed.
Keep in mind that, although the Pelicans will likely move Redick on via trade, there are myriad possibilities that could see an open roster spot pop up.
Here are three free agents that could add shooting and value to the Pelicans if Redick departs: