NBA Playoffs: Lakers Should Counter McGrady Signing by Inking Michael Redd

The San Antonio Spurs signed veteran swingman Tracy McGrady to a contract for the rest of the season and the playoffs to help fill holes made by injuries to Manu Ginobili and others (NBA.com).

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers have lost star 2-guard Kobe Bryant for their potential playoff run.  Now if only there was an experienced 2-guard who sat out all of this season but still has some life in him...

There is; his name is Michael Redd. 

Redd has almost exactly the same build as Kobe.  He's been an All-Star, has finished in the top 10 in scoring in four different seasons and backed up Kobe at the 2008 Olympics.  His career player efficiency rating is 19.5 (per Basketball-reference.com). 

True, he's been battling chronic knee injuries.  But this is the NBA playoffs, where veterans shine and two consecutive off-days occur for no apparent reason.

And it's not like he's been terrible.  Last season with the Suns, Redd had 19 double-digit games, a 51 percent true shooting percentage and per-48 minutes numbers of 26 points (per Basketball-reference.com). 

Furthermore, playoff games hinge on 2-guards that can come out and drill three-pointers.  With a career 38 percent from downtown and over 1000 threes made in his career, Redd is arguably a better perimeter scorer than even Kobe.

And keep in mind, it's not Kobe who Redd has to be better than, it's Andrew Goudelock, who has spent most of the season in the D-League.   

One other issue you might bring up in criticizing this move is salary cap issues: the Lakers are chronically over the cap this season.  Redd only made $1.5 million last season, and would probably cost the Lakers only a few hundred thousand for this playoff run.  Even with a hefty luxury tax penalty, that's still only $1-2 million, an amount the Lakers could recoup by winning a playoff series.  

And Redd could be the difference between winning a playoff series and not.  So the Lakers should sign him.