Feb 10, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New Orleans Pelicans guard JJ Redick (4) attempts to shoot the ball against Chicago Bulls guard Denzel Valentine (45) during the fourth quarter at the United Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports
2021 NBA Trade Deadline: 5 shooters teams should target
NBA Trade Deadline Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
In a normal year, the NBA Trade Deadline likely would’ve come and gone by this point. Alas, almost nothing is normal about the 2020-21 season.
One thing that hasn’t changed from previous years is that playoff and title contenders will be looking to find the missing piece of their aspirations on the trade market. Shooters are always of significant value to teams this time of year.
In today’s NBA, you can never have enough shooting. The ability to space the floor on offense – and the ability to put three points on the board instead of two in any given possession – is essential on the path towards titles.
The NBA trade deadline is off to an early start this season
This year’s trade market is worth monitoring, as it could also be unlike any in the past. Derrick Rose has already been dealt from the Detroit Pistons to the New York Knicks and Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin are known to be available for the right price.
But the schedule for the second half of the season remains a mystery (for now). And there are two additional spots up for grabs in both conferences due to the play-in tournament added last year. Logic dictates there will likely be more buyers than sellers in the trade market.
The NBA Trade Deadline is on March 25 this year. Before then, expect key players to move around, including some clutch shooters.
Who might be available for poaching on the trade market? Here are five shooters worth targeting, as well as a team or two for each that could be on the receiving end of the deal.
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desire to move on from Blake Griffin is very public</a>. Their best trade piece for the next month, however, might be Wayne Ellington.</p>
<p>Ellington’s ability to pop an open three at any moment is a skill any team would be looking for. He’s currently hitting 40.4 percent of his threes, his best mark since the 2013-14 campaign.</p>
<p>In general, Ellington is scoring more than he usually does, averaging 9.8 points per game. His two-point shooting percentage is near a career-high level and if his usually strong free throw shooting catches up (currently a career-low 68.2 percent), he can contribute shooting at all levels of the game.</p>
<p>Importantly, Ellington is on an expiring contract, one that won’t cost any team too much to pay. That means he should be easy to move and irresponsible not to move for Troy Weaver and the Pistons front office.</p>
<p>It’ll probably be easier to find a team that isn’t interested in Ellington than to find a team that wants him. He should have a hot market for the Pistons to take advantage of this month.</p>
<p>The Lakers are a very obvious target for Ellington. A reunion with the Miami Heat could also be in order. Other names to keep an eye on include the LA Clippers and the Brooklyn Nets.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/27/2021-nba-trade-deadline-5-shooters/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> No. 1 </a>
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<img class="size-full wp-image-422739" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/27/2021-nba-trade-deadline-5-shooters/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1300736539.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1300736539.jpeg 3200w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1300736539-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NBA Trade Deadline Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>1. JJ Redick</h2>
<p>Approximately a thousand days ago – okay, it was about three weeks – <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/27/2021-nba-trade-deadline-5-shooters/"https://theathletic.com/news/pelicans-redick-trade-76ers-nets-celtics/mIuEEEjnKXQu" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Athletic</a> reported that the New Orleans Pelicans were showing “openness” to discussing trades for Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick. Almost a month later, both remain with the franchise, with <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/27/2021-nba-trade-deadline-5-shooters/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/01/31/nba-trade-rumors-ideal-spots-for-lonzo-ball-j-j-redick-eric-bledsoe/">rumors remaining</a> surrounding Redick.</p>
<p>There’s good reason for the interest in Ball. Despite not yet living up his father’s hype, he can still score, distribute, and serve as a decent playmaker. He’s also still young, just 23 years old.</p>
<p>Redick will be a hotter commodity on the trade market, though. He’s been one of the league’s elite shooters for a decade and a half and will gladly slide into that role for a new team if it means winning an elusive title.</p>
<p>Redick is not necessarily having his best shooting season. He has hit 35.9 percent of his threes – not terrible, but it would be the worst 3-point percentage of his career. This is the first time he hasn’t started a game in a season since 2007-08, so a trade might bring some necessary rejuvenation.</p>
<p>The 41.5 percent career sharpshooter is on a $13.1 million expiring contract. He’s also believed to have interest in the northeast region, which will instantly link him to the Celtics, Nets, and a former haunt, the Sixers.</p>
<p>A sleeper to keep an eye on is another northeast team, the New York Knicks. Despite being on the playoff fringe with little title hope, the Knicks already showed they’re willing to go for the postseason by trading for Rose. New York is shooting 36.4 percent from 3-point range this season, so Redick would likely provide an instant boost in that category.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Trade targets to avoid" data-url="https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/26/nba-trade-deadline-3-targets-avoid/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background:#bb2c32" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/27/2021-nba-trade-deadline-5-shooters/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/02/26/nba-trade-deadline-3-targets-avoid/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Trade targets to avoid </a> </div>
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