NBA free agency will get underway on July 1 with teams around the league able to start talking to players. One player that will have no shortage of suitors once the free agency moratorium begins is sharpshooter J.J. Redick.
Although teams can’t talk to players they have interest in until Friday, that didn’t stop Jordan Clarkson from recruiting Redick to the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. Clarkson took to Twitter to start the recruitment process with a tweet that has since been deleted:
@JJRedick come across the street bro
— Jordan Clarkson (@JordanClarksons) June 28, 2017
With the Lakers brass putting all their efforts into clearing and preserving cap space for next year’s free agent class, Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka will be looking players that are willing to short-term deals this summer.
Redick, however, will almost certainly be looking for a lucrative long-term deal possibly crossing the Lakers off the list of potential suitors.
Redick will be a hot commodity once he hits the open market with playoff contenders looking to bolster their three-point shooting. A return to the Clippers doesn’t seem likely, especially with the recent departure of Chris Paul and the uncertain future of Blake Griffin.
Currently, the Lakers may be focused on landing Paul George in a blockbuster trade. Los Angeles has a lot of competition on that front with the Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics all pursuing the superstar forward this summer.
Once or if George’s immediate future is determined this week, the Lakers could have a clearer picture as to who they should pursue in free agency. Pelinka made it known that the team is trying to keep their cap space flexible to land a potential superstar or two in free agency next year meaning they probably aren’t looking to make a splash this year nor will they be in the running to sign Redick.