2. The Los Angeles Lakers do not have the means to pull off a trade that makes sense
This is the biggest reason why it won’t happen. Even if the Los Angeles Lakers did value JJ Redick (which I highly doubt), it is simply too difficult for the Lakers to pull off a trade because of his contract.
The Lakers certainly could trade for Redick and it is not completely impossible, but it is highly unlikely. The Lakers are not going to just send whatever contract they have to match Redick in order to make a trade possible.
Redick is making $13 million this season so it is not going to be easy to simply acquire him. There are three paths the Lakers could take just to make the trade possible, let alone one that is worthwhile for the Pelicans.
- Trade Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and assets for Redick
- Trade Dennis Schroder for Redick
- Trade Montrezl Harrell + Wesley Matthews/Talen Horton-Tucker/Kyle Kuzma for Redick
The Los Angeles Lakers are just not going to do any of those packages. Again, even if the Lakers value Redick, they would be getting worse if they made any of those trades, not better.
So while Redick is one of the most intriguing names on the trade market, he is not a fit for the Los Angeles Lakers.