NBA Trade Deadline - 3 Players whom the Los Angeles Clippers should target
The Los Angeles Clippers have arguably become the better franchise in LA, if not bigger. Their rebuild began in June 2017, when the Clippers traded away Chris Paul for seven players, including current stars Patrick Beverley, Montrezl Harrell and Lou Williams. In January 2018, the Clippers also traded star Blake Griffin for Avery Bradley, Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic along with two future picks, officially starting their rebuild.
They flipped the other players in future trade deals, setting themselves up for the blockbuster 2019 Free Agency, where they landed the 2019 NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard and traded with the Oklahoma City Thunder for superstar, Paul George.
With two MVP caliber players ready to catapult the team to new heights, the Clippers already have role players around them and a deep bench to help push through the grueling 82 game regular season.
Yet, they have not started with the high expectations from them, currently in 5th place with a 27-13 record. They are still missing a piece to make that final push. Here are the 3 players whom the Los Angeles Clippers should target.
#3 JJ Redick (New Orleans Pelicans)
JJ Redick has been one of the best shooters in the NBA for the last few seasons. He was an integral member of the Philadelphia 76ers before moving to the New Orleans Pelicans in the 2019 Free Agency, on a modest two years and $26 million contract.
He has even played for the Los Angeles Clippers for four seasons under Doc Rivers and might just be the player to push them to the next level. The Pelicans have struggled mightily this season, winning only 14 of 40 matches and are 14th in the competitive Western Conference.
JJ might be the perfect player for the Clippers to target, as he will be the perfect floor spacer for the Clippers. His veteran presence will only make him a very reliable option on the offensive end and with the team already very strong on defense, it will be easy to make up for it.
Redick is averaging a solid 15.7 points per game, shooting over 46% from beyond the arc, making him an invaluable asset if the Clippers manage to trade for the 35-year-old veteran.
Pelicans might be reluctant to trade such a good player, but still might be willing to given that they are looking to rebuild and JJ does not fit their timeline. A trade package of Landry Shamet and Maurice Harkless along with a 2020 second round pick could be enough to pry him away.