J.J. Redick criticizes Pelicans front office over handling of Mavericks trade

J.J. Redick had a few things to say about how the New Orleans Pelicans handled his trade.

J.J. Redick has been in the NBA for a long time, and with the New Orleans Pelicans more focused on a future built around Zion Williamson, it’s no surprise to hear the two sides discussed potential trade possibilities before the 2020-21 season even began.

According to ESPN’s Andrew Lopez, Redick — who was recently dealt to the Dallas Mavericks — said Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations David Griffin “did not honor his word” when it came to putting the 36-year-old veteran in a more competitive situation where he could be closer to his family in Brooklyn.

While the Brooklyn Nets obviously come to mind with such a description, Redick said on his podcast, “The Old Man & the Three,” that he spoke with Griffin and general manager Trajan Langdon back in November about wanting a trade to a more competitive team, preferably one within driving distance of Brooklyn, where his son goes to school.

“I talked to Griff. I talked to Trajan. Griff basically says to me, ‘Come down for a month. If you still want to be traded, I give you my word, I’ll get you to a situation that you like.’ We had four subsequent conversations,” Redick said. “Again, my agent talked to them. But I’m talking to Griff directly. Griff and I had a personal relationship.

“Obviously, he did not honor his word.”

J.J. Redick went on with his criticism of the Pelicans front office

Redick didn’t stop there, however. When his co-host, Tommy Alter, asked him if he thinks players can trust the Pelicans front office moving forward, Redick didn’t mince words.

“I don’t think you’re going to get honesty from that front office, just objectively speaking,” he said. “That’s not an opinion — I just don’t think you’re going to get that. I don’t think what happened with me is necessarily an isolated incident either. But I do think across the league, front offices, they act in their best interest. I get that. I understand that.

“Truthfully — and it’s hard for me to admit this — I think I was a little naive in thinking that because I was in Year 15, and I had at least attempted to do things right throughout my career and I honored my end of the bargain … But in terms of this front office, yeah, it’s not something where I would expect certainly the agents that worked on this with me to ever trust that front office again.”

Redick also said that once he was not dealt before the aggregate deadline on Feb. 2, he believed he would be bought out and allowed to go to the team of his choice. Instead, the Pelicans dealt him to the Mavericks.

Redick said he doesn’t blame the Mavs in any way and is excited to play with Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis, but he’s clearly still not happy with how New Orleans handled the situation.