Veteran sharpshooter JJ Redick is reportedly hoping he's sent to the Big Apple if the New Orleans Pelicans offload him ahead of the NBA trade deadline.
Redick, who has seen relatively fewer minutes this season on a rebuilding Pelicans team, has become the topic of trade speculation in recent weeks, and would prefer a trade to either the Brooklyn Nets or New York Knicks, according to a recent report.
The 36-year-old has family living in Brooklyn, Marc Berman of the New York Post reported, and apparently he would like the chance to live and play near them.
Previous reporting had suggested Redick was keen on joining the Knicks, as well as the Sixers and Celtics.
The 16-year veteran was averaging just under 19 minutes per game off the bench through the Pelicans' first 24 games, his lowest mark since his third season in the league with Orlando.
Redick, who has shot better than 41% from downtown in career, is in his second year with the Pelicans after two years in Philadelphia. He had previous stops with the Los Angeles Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Magic, who drafted him out of Duke back in 2006.
The Knicks would be the better fit with respect to salary implications, as New York has plenty of cap space. Such a move could be trickier for Brooklyn, which has far less cap space, and arguably a greater need for interior defense and rebounding. The Nets however still have a mid-level exception and an injury exception for Spencer Dinwiddie at their disposal, either of which could come into play if Redick is released rather than traded.
That seems unlikely, though, as the Pelicans have played better of late, and Redick himself has shot it better since falling out of the rotation for three games late last month.