NEW ORLEANS — J.J. Redick walked with purpose, hurrying from the New Orleans Pelicans’ locker room inside Smoothie King Center to the visitors’ locker room, only to discover that just one Orlando Magic player remained there, Evan Fournier.



“Has ’Kelle gone?” Redick asked.



A locker room attendant told Redick that Markelle Fultz had left several minutes earlier.



Alarmed, Redick left the room and rushed down a corridor. As he sped past former teammate Nikola Vucevic, Redick asked, “Did ’Kelle go this way?” Vucevic informed Redick that Fultz had gone to the team bus.



Redick accelerated, almost speed-walking until he reached a loading dock where the Magic’s bus idled. As if on cue, Fultz left the bus and approached Redick. Both players smiled ear-to-ear and then clasped hands. They chatted for the next several minutes, grinning nearly the entire time, occasionally laughing. Their conversation...