The Los Angeles Lakers are still in contention for a championship, but that doesn’t mean that it’s too early to begin looking at the offseason. LeBron James and Anthony Davis could use a bit more help and one player has been mentioned as an ideal trade target. That player would be New Orleans Pelicans shooting guard JJ Redick.
Redick would be a very intriguing fit for this Lakers’ roster. He is one of the elite three-point shooters in the NBA, which always fits nicely around James.
Bleacher Report explained why Redick to the Lakers would make perfect sense.
Outside shooting has been a weak point all year, a critical component for a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers ranked just 21st in three-point accuracy during the regular season (34.9 percent) and are next-to-last during the playoffs (33.1 percent). Even at age 36, JJ Redick can solve a lot of shooting woes by himself as his 45.3 percent mark from deep was good for second overall in the entire NBA.
Adding Redick to an already lethal Lakers’ offense would be a cheat code. With defenses focusing so much of their attention on slowing down James and Davis, the veteran shooter would be able to get many open looks.
During the 2019-20 season with the Pelicans that saw Redick miss the playoffs for the first time in his career, the veteran averaged 15.3 points per game to go along with 2.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He shot 45.3 percent from the floor overall and 45.3 percent from the three-point line as well.
At 36 years old, there is no question that Redick would love to be traded to an NBA Finals contender. The Lakers are without question going to be a yearly contender, assuming they re-sign Davis this offseason.
Dion Waiters and J.R. Smith were signed this season to help offensively. Unfortunately, neither guy has been a consistent shooter or scorer. Redick would be able to come in and fill that role for the Lakers.
Expect to hear rumors surround JJ Redick this offseason. He may not want to stick it out with the Pelicans, who simply aren’t contenders right now. A trade to the Lakers would allow him to compete this late in his prime and he could be the missing piece that L.A. has been needing offensively.
