NBA Rumors: Should The Oklahoma City Thunder Go After J.J. Redick?
The Oklahoma City Thunder pulled off two great trades this offseason as they managed to land Paul George and Carmelo Anthony. While the Thunder did boast one of the top starting units in the league, their up and down season came to a halt as they fell to the younger Utah Jazz in the first round. That was not supposed to happen. The Thunder relied on the three-point shot too much but done so without a real threat on the perimeter. In order for this team to make strides, they need a player like J.J. Redick on their roster.
The Thunder have two of the best two-way players in Westbrook and George. But where they fall flat is perimeter play. With a player like Westbrook leading the charge, it was easy for George and Anthony to get a few open looks at the rim from three-point range. For the season, the Thunder as a team is shot 35 percent. According to Sports Reference, when Roberson played, he shot a paltry 22 percent while averaging just five points per game.
The Thunder And J.J. Redick Are A Perfect Match
If the Oklahoma City Thunder were to bring in a shooter like Redick, this will cure one big glaring issue. Imagine how fluent the offense would run if Westbrook weren’t forcing up 4.1 attempts or George taking 7.7 per game from beyond the arc. Both players are streaky shooters but their game is better served elsewhere. Redick is a mid-range assassin, whereas George is a take-it-to-the-basket guy. Adding Redick, along with his 17.1 points and 42 percent shooting from beyond the arc, will give the Oklahoma City Thunder better spacing while cutting down on turnovers and ill-advised shots.
For J.J. Redick, there’s a big difference in Ben Simmons passing the ball or Westbrook hitting him in motion. See, with Simmons, there’s no threat that he will take the outside shot, which gives the defense an advantage of playing their perimeter player tight. However, with Westbrook, defenses must respect his driving ability thus resulting in defenders often doubling and leaving a player like Redick open. J.J. could have a field day in a Thunder uniform.
A starting unit that includes Westbrook, Redick, George, and Steven Adams will be a scary sight for any team to see come playoff time. The 76ers signed Redick to add a shooter and a veteran presence to a young team. However, with Redick only on a one-year deal, his services are strictly for rent until Markelle Fultz is ready to take over. While the contract was heavy ($23 million), the Thunder can exhale a bit and sign Redick to a more team-friendly contract this summer.
While this deal will push Roberson to the bench, it will make the Thunder one of the favorites in the Western Conference right along with the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors.
[BXReporter]
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
