You can never have enough shooting around Luka Doncic.
Which is why the Dallas Mavericks stepped up and reached a deal to add J.J. Redick to the mix at the trade deadline. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the story.
New Orleans sent JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli to Dallas, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021
Sources: Dallas sent James Johnson, Wes Iwundu and a second-round pick to New Orleans to acquire JJ Redick and Nicolo Melli.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 25, 2021
Mavericks acquiring two shooters to bolster their depth. Pelicans receive a gritty veteran forward in Johnson, young player and draft asset. https://t.co/WaVX3BKh6T
Redick has had a down year in New Orleans — 8.7 points a game, shooting 36.4% from three — and Father Time is catching up with him, but there was a sense from other teams that if Redick were put in another system, he would get back to his old self. Redick can come off the bench behind Josh Richardson and give Mavericks quality minutes at the two.
Nicolo Melli has faded into the background this season in New Orleans and had asked for a fresh start somewhere else. The big man got his wish; now we’ll see what he does with the opportunity.
James Johnson brings some grit and toughness to a Pelicans team still trying to climb up into the playoffs — between Johnson and Steven Adams, nobody will be punking the Pelicans. Wes Iwundu was not in the final trade, it’s just Johnson, Dallas’ 2021 second-rounder, and some cash.
That’s not a bad haul for a New Orleans team that otherwise would have bought out Redick and got nothing for him (this does move the Pelicans close to the hard cap).