The Dallas Mavericks have acquired guard JJ Redick and forward/center Nicolò Melli in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans for forward James Johnson, forward Wes Iwundu, the club’s 2021 second round pick and cash considerations.
Redick (6-3, 194) is a 15-season veteran with career averages of 12.9 points, 2.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 25.7 minutes in 927 games (488 starts) with New Orleans, Philadelphia, L.A. Clippers, Milwaukee and Orlando. This season, Redick averages 8.7 points, 1.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 18.6 minutes in 31 games off the bench.
A career 41.5% 3-point shooter, Redick ranked second in the NBA in 3-point percentage last season (.453, 180-397 3FG) and ranks 15th all-time in 3-pointers made (1,935). He is also a career 44.7% field goal and 89.2% free throw shooter.
Redick, 36, enjoyed his best statistical season in 2018-19 with Philadelphia when he averaged 18.1 points, 2.4 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 31.3 minutes in 76 games (63 starts).
He reached the NBA playoffs in each of the first 13 seasons, averaging 10.9 points in 110 postseason games (70 starts) with Philadelphia, L.A. Clippers, Milwaukee and Orlando.
Melli (6-9, 236) holds averages of 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 15.6 minutes in 82 games (eight starts) over two NBA seasons with the Pelicans after being signed as a free agent in 2019.
A native of Reggio Emilia, Italy, Melli played nine seasons in Europe before starting his NBA career. He appeared in 207 EuroLeague games, averaging 7.4 points (.466% FG, .387% 3FG), 4.7 rebounds and 1.5 assists with Olimpia Milano (Italy), Brose Bamberg (Germany) and Fenerbahçe İstanbul (Turkey). Melli scored a game-high 28 points in Fenerbahçe’s 80-85 loss to Luka Dončić’s Real Madrid in the 2018 EuroLeague Finals.
He also represented the Italian National Team in two EuroBasket tournaments (2013, 2015).
Redick will wear No. 17 and Melli will wear No. 44.
Johnson, 6-7, 240, has appeared in 29 games this season with the Mavericks, averaging 5.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists. Selected 16th overall out of Wake Forest in the 2009 NBA Draft, Johnson has appeared in 663 career regular season games with Chicago, Toronto, Sacramento, Memphis, Miami, Minnesota and Dallas, posting averages of 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.9 blocks in 20.5 minutes per contest.
Iwundu, 6-6, 195, has appeared in 23 games for Dallas this season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.9 rebounds. Selected 33rd overall out of Kansas State by Orlando in the 2017 NBA Draft, Iwundu has appeared in 205 career regular season games with the Magic and Mavericks, averaging 4.5 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.0 assists.
Johnson will wear #16 and Iwundu will wear #4 for New Orleans.
