J.J. Redick called his time with the Clippers the “four best years” of his career, though he knew entering the offseason that he wouldn’t re-sign with the team, as he explains on his new podcast (h/t Kevin Spain of USA Today).
“I know some Clippers fans and maybe some NBA fans may be wondering like, why did I not go back or there are probably some ignorant people out there who are questioning my loyalty,” Redick said. “Going back to the Clippers was, honestly, not an option.
“I kind of figured last summer when they signed [Austin Rivers] and [Jamal Crawford] back, they had basically guaranteed $25MM in salary for this upcoming season and I knew they weren’t going to be able to commit financially long-term to having a third shooting guard at a high rate. That’s just unrealistic. You can’t have $30-$40MM at one position, especially when you’re going to have two or three max players on the team.”
Redick added that on June 29 – two days before the beginning of free agency – he received a call from the Clippers telling him that they were not going to bring him back.
The shooting guard ended up signing a one-year deal, $23MM deal with the Sixers to join, among others, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons in the starting line-up. Redick said that Houston offered him more money overall than Philadelphia did, but he chose Bryan Colangelo‘s offer in part because he didn’t want to come off the bench. Also, while the Rockets’ offer may have been worth more in total, it likely didn’t come close to the Sixers’ offer in terms of 2017/18 salary.
The Nets were also interested in adding Redick and the team was his wife’s preferred destination. The two currently share a condo in Brooklyn. Redick said he likes what GM Sean Marks is building in the city, but was concerned with the number of minutes he would have received.
Redick should see significant playing time for the Sixers. The team appears to be past its rebuilding phase and ready to compete for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
If all the 76ers are healthy they are an easy playoff team. Problem is health issues have hautned them since 2014.
It’s called Karma! From all that Tanking!
Redick could not have found a more perfect fit than the Sixers…
Alongside their main rotation of Simmons, Fultz, Embiid, Okafor, Covington, Amir Johnson, Saric, McConnell, and Stauskas…Redick will fit in just perfectly…He will have Embiid, and sometimes Okafor, down low drawing double teams, and he will have Simmons and Fultz breaking down opposing teams’ defenses by slashing to the basket. Both those acts alone, should help free up Redick for some easy and open looks…
Likewise, Redick will help his teammates by spreading open the floor, and he will allow for lanes to open up for easier drives to the basket, or for Simmons to drive and kick to the open man…
It’s a basketball match made in heaven for all these guys. The major key will be these guys coming together collectively as a unit, and using eachother’s strengths cohesively. I’m sure it will take some time to work out all the kinks, but if they do and stay healthy, the Sixers will be one fun team to watch moving forward!!
Also, something that tends to get overlooked is Redick’s solid ability to move without the basketball. He could become a great mentor for Fultz in teaching him how to play off the ball better.
If Fultz takes to Redick as a mentor, then it could help Fultz round out his game tremendously!! He very well could end up going from a player like Bradley Beal to the younger, SG version of James Harden…(Not the ball-dominant PG he was last season)
The problem with paying him all that money is that his back has bothered him quite a bit the last couple of years.
Even if his back proves to be an issue, the one year deal is nearly risk free for Philly. They had to spend the money somewhere and JJ seems like a natural fit
I wonder if Houston just offered their 3 year midlevel because they didn’t r have cap space after the Paul trade and with raises doesn’t the 3 year midlevel end up being like 25 million?
I would guess they offered Redick the same deal that P.J. Tucker got (four years, $32MM-ish), in which case it definitely makes sense that he’d choose the Sixers’ offer.