Free-agent profile: Michael Redd

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This is the 14th post in a series focusing on this year’s free-agent class.

Player: Michael Redd

Former team: Phoenix Suns

Type of free agent: Unrestricted

Positives: The Lakers remain in dire need of acquiring a quality shooter at a bargain-bin price. Redd appears to be the perfect candidate. In relative terms, the 6-foot-6 guard/forward had a resurgent season in Phoenix, averaging 8.2 points per game a year after averaging a career-low 4.4 points during an injury-riddled campaign. It’s clear that Redd is unlikely to replicate the 19 points per game he’s averaged in his career, but that won’t be a problem for the Lakers for two reasons. He’d only be asked to score off the bench, which lightens the load, and his low market value would make any Lakers interest more attractive to him. Redd has proven that he can still play when healthy, and considering the Lakers’ superb training staff, he might very well maximize his play in Los Angeles.

Negatives: Forget about Redd’s limitations with his defense and conditioning. The Lakers’ interest in him focuses on a very specific skill set. But even when healthy last season, Redd shot only 40%. In four of the past five season’s, Redd’s three-point shooting has hovered around the mid-30% range. Redd, who turns 33 next month, used to be able to score in bunches, but he only reached the 20-point mark in three games last season.

It’s also impossible to discount his injury history.

Redd has played in only 111 games in the past four seasons, and his shooting hasn’t been the same since. Redd averaged at least 21 points per game from the 2003-2008 before tearing the ACL and MCL in his left knee in January 2009. Redd returned nine months later, only to reinjure both ligaments less than a year after the original injury. He remained sidelined for 14 months. Though the Lakers could tolerate Redd’s dropoff in scoring, they can’t absorb Redd missing 15 games as he did last season.

Verdict: It really depends on Redd’s health. That’s why it wouldn’t hurt if the Lakers invited Redd for a workout. But it’s understandable if L.A. seems reluctant in hoping to rekindle a shooting flame Redd lost seasons ago.

ALSO:

Free-agent profile: Delonte West

Free-agent profile: Ronnie Brewer

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