Duke basketball legend could soon be traded back to contender

A Duke basketball legend could soon be on the move again. 

JJ Redick‘s time in New Orleans could quickly be coming to a close as there are several trade rumors surrounding the former Duke basketball legend.

The 36-year-old missed the NBA Playoffs for the first time in his career last season despite the New Orleans Pelicans (6-10) qualifying for the NBA’s bubble in Orlando, Florida.

Defensive issues plagued the Pelicans before the stoppage, and those shortcomings were on display in the offensive explosion inside the bubble.

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However, with a new head coach and most of their core returning in 2020-21, the Pelicans were looking to be a Top-8 team in the loaded Western Conference. But Stan Van Gundy still hasn’t figured out the team’s defensive woes.

As New Orleans tries to work back to .500 on the season, there are rumors that Redick could be on the move as Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the franchise has “shown openness” to trading JJ Redick and Lonzo Ball.

Redick signed with the Pelicans as an unrestricted free agent after the 2018-19 season and averaged 15.3 points per game on 45.3-percent shooting from three-point range in his first year in the Bayou.

Duke basketball legend struggling in 2020-21

Things haven’t been as great for the former Blue Devil in his second year with the team as he’s averaging just 7.9 points per game, which would be his lowest scoring production since the 2008-09 season when he averaged 6.0 points per game in his third season in the NBA.

Redick is also shooting 29.8-percent from three-point range, on track to be his worst shooting season in his NBA career.

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New Orleans acquired Lonzo Ball in the blockbuster trade that sent Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers, where former Blue Devil Brandon Ingram also landed with the Pelicans.

The New Orleans Pelicans will look for a signature victory on the season as the team hosts back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks (11-6) on Friday, January 29 at 7:30pm EST (ESPN).