Sharpshooter/Brooklyn resident JJ Redick will finally join the Mavericks in New York on Thursday and will hold an introductory Zoom press conference. And Redick will be on the bench when Dallas faces the Knicks Friday at the Garden — still out with a heel injury.
But he’d rather be on the other side. Redick, the 15-year veteran and former Duke star, vented his disappointment that the Pelicans apparently reneged on their word that he’d be bought out if they couldn’t find a home for him in the Northeast.
Redick, 36, lives with his family in DUMBO and said he was “jarred,” “floored” and “shocked” about being traded at Thursday’s deadline to the Mavericks with Nicolo Melli. The Pelicans picked up James Johnson, Wes Iwundu, 2021 second-round pick, and cash considerations.
In comments he made Wednesday on his podcast “Old Man and The Three,” Redick ripped Pelicans GM David Griffin for not doing the right thing and letting him to choose his spot in the New York region.
The Knicks and Nets were each interested in Redick but only on the buyout market.
“I look at the buyout situation not as ‘Oh I’m going to get bought and go to Brooklyn,’ ” Redick said, according to the New Orleans Times-Picayune. “I just wanted to be able to, on an off day, go see my family and be within driving distance…Obviously, he did not honor his word.”
Last week, Griffin told reporters that he tried to trade Redick close to Brooklyn but those teams “were not necessarily the most aggressive in landing him.”
Griffin said he figured the Mavericks would be amenable to Redick because they’re a playoff contender and the Pelicans are falling out of the race.
“I think in JJ’s situation we spent the vast majority of the year trying to put him specifically where his family was,” Griffin said. “This is because of the COVID situation. It’s an unprecedented year-and-a-half in everyone’s life. We did spent a lot of time trying to put JJ closer to home.”
With their two open roster spots, the Knicks are looking for a center and outside shooting at the wing, and Redick is a CAA client. Knicks president Leon Rose ran CAA before joining the Knicks one year ago.
Redick said he told Mavericks owner Mark Cuban any other year he’d love to be in Dallas. Just not this one.
“I don’t think you’re going to get honesty from that [New Orleans] front office, objectively speaking,” Redick said. “That’s an opinion, I just don’t think you’re gonna get that. I don’t think what happened with me is necessarily an isolated incident. It’s not something where I would expect certainly the agents who worked on this with me to ever trust that front office again.”
Would Redick have chosen the Nets over the Knicks?
On a recent podcast in which he hosted Julius Randle, Redick talked about the Garden being his top arena.
“It is what makes the Knicks experience I feel, like, special,” Redick said. “Playing in New York is amazing. I choose to live in New York City in the offseason. I love the city. Madison Square Garden going back since the McDonald’s All American game, it’s been my favorite arena.”
RJ Barrett, who scored 23 points in the 102-101 loss despite two tough plays in the final minute, was asked after shootaround about whether he’s proven the voters wrong who left him off the league’s two all-rookie teams.
“I think you see it, everybody sees it,” Barrett said. “I’ve been working my butt off, producing out there on the court. I don’t really know what else to say. I still think it’s crazy. But all I can do is continue to play well. The team’s playing well. That’s all that really matters.”