Redick comes to Clippers in trade
PHOENIX — A person with knowledge of the situation tells the Associated Press a three-team trade is in place that sends J.J. Redick from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Los Angeles Clippers and point guard Eric Bledsoe from the Clippers to the Phoenix Suns.
The deal also sends Jared Dudley from the Suns to the Clippers and Caron Butler from the Clippers to the Suns. The Bucks will get two second-round draft picks, according to the person who requested anonymity because the deal can’t officially be made public until July 10 under NBA rules.
Yahoo! Sports, which first reported the trade, said Redick gets a fouryear, $27 million signand-trade contract as part of the exchange.
In Redick, the Clippers get a much-needed shooting guard to play alongside Chris Paul, who has decided to re-sign with a team that has visions of contending for the Western Conference title.
The Bucks acquired Redick from Orlando just before the February trade deadline, but decided not to re-sign him. Between the two teams, Redick averaged a career-best 14.1 points per game. He scored a career-high 31 points and made a careerbest eight 3-pointers for Orlando against Detroit on Jan. 27. The former Duke star averaged 12.1 points with the Bucks.
Bledsoe is the important piece for the Suns in the first trade engineered by new general manager Ryan McDonough. Paul’s highly regarded backup played three seasons for Los Angeles after being drafted 18th overall out of Kentucky in the 2010 draft. Bledsoe averaged 8.5 points and 3.1 assists in 76 games for the Clippers last season.
The Suns already have Goran Dragic and Kendall Marshall at point guard, then drafted another in 18-year-old Archie Goodwin from Kentucky with the 29th pick last week.
Just what McDonough plans to do to relieve that logjam remains an open question because team officials are prohibited from talking about any moves until July 10.
DEVELOPMENTS
Lakers talk to Howard: Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and other representatives of the team met Tuesday for about two hours with free agent center Dwight Howard to make their pitch for keeping him in Los Angeles.
“At the meeting, we told him how important he is to the Lakers team, franchise, fans and community, and why we feel this is the best place for him to continue his career,” Kupchak said in a statement released by the team. “We are hopeful that Dwight decides to remain a Laker.”
Howard became one of the NBA’s most coveted free agents when free agency opened Monday. The Lakers have made no secret they want to keep him. The Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks and the Atlanta Hawks also are interested.
Howard’s f irst, and perhaps only, season in Los Angeles was a disappointment, ending in a first-round playoff sweep, and he acknowledged being unhappy at times.
Mohammed to stay with Bulls: Veteran center Nazr Mohammed says he is staying with the Chicago Bulls.
Mohammed announced on Twitter on Tuesday that he will re-sign with his hometown team, saying it was “an easy decision.”
Several media outlets also reported that the Bulls have agreed to a two-year deal with sharpshooting forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. as they try to boost their shooting.
Briefly: Martell Webster has agreed to a four-year deal to stay with the Washington Wizards. ... The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to terms on a three-year, $ 16 million deal with free agent swingman Chase Budinger.