New Orleans Pelicans: Potential trade partners for JJ Redick

The New Orleans Pelicans have been disastrous to start the season and with the playoffs not even in reason, the team may look to trade JJ Redick.

The New Orleans Pelicans trading JJ Redick was something that we alluded to and thought was a possibility before the season even began. It might have seemed strange at the time, as he signed a two-year deal, but that made it even more likely that he would be dealt.

The things we knew at the time is that the Pelicans have a lot of young, talented guys in the backcourt and that Redick was meant to be this experienced veteran that could help them in a playoff push.

The second that the playoffs became out of question is the second that the Pelicans should have started to trade Redick, and news flash, we have already crossed that point.

The two-year contract does not make it less likely that they will trade the veteran guard, if anything, it makes it more likely. Signing a two-year deal allowed the Pelicans to sign him for a smaller salary per-season than he would have gotten if it was a one-year deal and also presents more value to a contender as he will help for more than half a season.

We are not the only ones that have this line of thinking, either, as Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer wrote that multiple executives believe the Pelicans could be persuaded to trade him for the right price.

And that is exactly how this trade happens. The Pelicans are not going to go out and parade Redick for a trade, as this removes their leverage and they still have more value in keeping him rather than trading him for nothing.

It is when contending teams come to them that they can leverage the situation and get something that is worth their while.

We know it is going to be a contending team that wants to trade for Redick, which is fitting, as Redick has never missed the playoffs in his career. Here are the three best fits that we see for Redick via trade.