JJ Redick Was Shocked By Trade to the Milwaukee Bucks

It wasn’t a surprise that the Orlando Magic traded JJ Redick yesterday. Redick had steeled himself for the possibility, but when the six-player deal went down, the veteran guard says it still came as a shock. Per the Orlando Sentinel: “I think you can prepare yourself as much as you think you can,” Redick said. ‘But when the moment comes, there’s certainly an initial shock, and I was shocked. The most difficult part was definitely saying bye to everybody, people that I’ve spent a lot of time with over the last seven years and built relationships with and built friendships with. That was difficult. There’s no really easy way to handle it,’ he added later. ‘Trading is tough, tough. It’s my first time experiencing it: It’s tough.’ Redick and the Magic were still in Dallas when he caught wind of a possible deal around 2:30 p.m. Eastern, and he said he received a phone call from general manager Rob Hennigan ‘at about 2:59’ to be told he was traded. Redick didn’t accompany the team to Tennessee. He’s planning to arrive in Milwaukee on Friday morning. […] Redick, who is in the final year of his contract, said he hasn’t spoken with the Bucks yet about his long-term plans. ‘I think with them bringing me in I assume they want to get into the playoffs, make a playoff run and try to get as high a seed as possible,’ he said. ‘Hopefully, I can help them do that and we’ll deal with the summer when the summer happens.’ Redick, who will turn 29 in June, will become an unrestricted free agent in July because his current contract can’t be extended.”