New Orleans Pelicans: The more rest for JJ Redick the better

The decision to not play for team USA for JJ Redick must have been a tough one, but might ultimately be beneficial for him & the New Orleans Pelicans.

The United States Men’s basketball team is used to having a loaded roster. However, it is not as loaded as per usual this summer for the 2019 FIBA World Cup.

Most of the big names have decided to not play this summer for Team USA. The list of these players includes superstars such as James Harden, Bradley Beal along with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum.

With all of those players not on the roster, and with Kyle Lowry opting to play but rehabbing from surgery on his thumb, team USA needed dependable guards to fill out the roster. So, they made the call to sharpshooting JJ Redick, who just recently signed a new contract with the New Orleans Pelicans.

JJ was apart of the USA team program from 2006-08 but ultimately never made the senior team, so this news was a big deal for Redick. “I’m thrilled beyond belief to be considered,” he said in a statement via ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Even though JJ had “tremendous desire” to play, it wasn’t an easy decision for him. Ultimately, he decided that it would be in his best interest to turn down the invitation.

This seems like a case of just unfortunate timing for Redick. An offseason in which you move to a different team has to be a hectic one. So, making sure his wife and child have a smooth transition into this new chapter of their life should be the most important thing for him right now.

Although it would have been great to see JJ play for our country, this decision might help the Pelicans in the long run. Now 35 years old and headed into his 14th NBA season, Redick might not hold up as well in his debut season with the Pelicans if he were to play in the World Cup.

The FIBA World Cup will be held from Aug. 31 to Sept. 15 in China. This is likely to be some tough basketball, as the competition is expected to be very high. It is asking a lot for any player to partake in this competition and then start the marathon that is an NBA season less than a month later.

JJ Redick has astoundingly never missed the playoffs in all of his 13 years in the NBA, so it is safe to say he has some serious mileage on him. Taking that into consideration along with a past of serious back problems and other various injuries he has had, it might be the best call for Redick to keep his body well-rested and fresh for the upcoming season.

The Pelicans will be a very fast and athletic team this upcoming season but needed some perimeter shooting to bolster the offense. So, they made the move to sign Redick because he is one of the most consistent outside shooters the game has to offer with a career 3-point percentage of 41.3.

Not only that, but he is also someone who will drive opposing defenses crazy as he will always move without the ball and run off screens to find an opening to let it fly.

Having him healthy enough to be able to do those types of things on the court will help the offense immensely. With JJ on the floor, it will open things up for the entire offense. For example, defenders can never help off him as he is a constant threat to score, which will help clear driving lanes for guys such as Zion Williamson and Jrue Holiday to get to the hoop and finish.

Now that he has decided to take the entire offseason off, it should be very fun to watch a 100 percent rested and healthy Redick paired with the young talent down in the big easy this upcoming season, and hopefully, change his playoff streak from 13 years to 14.