Pelicans coach Stan Van Gundy has chimed in on the comments made by former New Orleans guard JJ Redick, who was dealt to the Mavericks last week in a trade deadline day agreement.
Redick claims Pelicans executive VP of basketball operations David Griffin promised New Orleans would move him to a situation he likes upon his request. As previously reported, the 36-year-old asked to play for a team in the Northeast with hopes of being closer to his family. New Orleans struggled to find a suitable package and traded him to Dallas instead.
“[JJ] had some things that he wanted to happen. But I think Griff cared very much about what JJ wanted, but he has a responsibility to Gayle Benson and to the organization that supersedes all of that,” Van Gundy said as part of a larger quote, as relayed by ESPN’s Andrew Lopez.
Van Gundy and Redick have a history dating back to Orlando from 2007-12. Regardless of what was communicated between Redick and the Pelicans, Redick’s focus has surely shifted to helping the Mavericks secure a postseason berth for the second straight season. Dallas currently holds the seventh-best record in the Western Conference at 25-21.
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