NBA Trade Rumors: Pelicans Engaged with Teams About Lonzo Ball, JJ Redick

The New Orleans Pelicans have engaged in trade talks focused on guards Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick, according to ESPN's Tim Bontemps.

New Orleans is in second-to-last place in the Western Conference this season at 8-12, meaning it could be compelled to enter sell mode ahead of the March 25 trade deadline.

Redick is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, while Ball will be a restricted free agent, which could add to the Pels' motivation to move one or both of them prior to the deadline.

The Pels brought in both Ball and Redick last offseason as they reshaped their roster after trading Anthony Davis to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Ball came in as part of the Davis deal, while Redick signed a two-year contract in free agency after spending the previous two seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Given the fact that he is still only 23, Ball could be attractive to teams who are looking for their point guard of the future, although Ball has yet to prove he can be a consistent starter at the position.

In four seasons with the Lakers and Pelicans, Ball owns career averages of 10.9 points, 6.4 assists, 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game. He is terribly inefficient as a shooter, however, shooting 39.2 percent from the field, 34.1 percent from beyond the arc and 49.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Through 17 games this season, Ball is averaging a career-high 12.9 points per game, but his assists (4.6) and rebounds (3.9) are down. He is still struggling from the field too, with a field-goal percentage of 40.8 percent.

Redick, 36, would be a better fit for a team that is in playoff or championship contention because of his experience and shooting ability.

The former Duke standout is in the midst of his 15th NBA season, and it has been a tough one. His 8.0 points per game marks his lowest scoring output since 2008-09, plus he is struggling through career lows in field-goal percentage (34.2 percent) and three-point shooting percentage (30.3 percent).

It is possible that Redick has hit the proverbial wall all athletes encounter at a certain age or his shooting struggles could be an outlier that will return closer to the mean with a change of scenery. In 913 career NBA regular-season games, Redick averages 13.0 points per game and shoots a far more respectable 44.7 percent from the field and 41.4 percent from three-point range.

If the Pelicans are serious about trading Redick, some team will almost certainly roll the dice and bet on the notion that he can regain the form he displayed for most of his career.