Sixers: J.J. Redick makes sense and doesn’t at the same time

By George Kondoleon | May 18, 2017

Mar 11, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard JJ Redick (4) attempts a shot defended by Philadelphia 76ers guard Timothe Luwawu (20) during the first quarter at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

The Sixers are going to be attacking the free agency market with aggression, and their first target could be shooting guard J.J. Redick.

Another month, another Woj Bomb. The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Sixers will pursue Los Angeles Clippers guard J.J. Redick this offseason, along with the Nets and the Knicks. Redick is one of the league’s premier catch and shoot options, and has seen his career flourish in Los Angeles.

His value was hindered ever so slightly with a disappointing playoff series, but he will continue to be a hot commodity in this year’s free agent market. Shooting will always give a player a home in today’s NBA, and Redick can still be dangerous outside option for virtually any team. It’s no surprise that the Sixers are interested in prying away the veteran guard.

With money to spend and the possibility of a short-term contract, Redick and the Sixers would be a low risk marriage for both sides. Redick makes sense in the financial sense, but also adding a valuable shooter to a team that has lacked a real outside threat would improve the effectiveness of the offense.

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Redick isn’t a great defender or a great passer, but despite what could be called a one-dimensional game, he excels at his role. Playing next to Chris Paul certainly helps, but if Redick were to find his way to Philadelphia expect him to fit into a similar role. Redick as a third or fourth scoring option on a team is deadly solely because of his ability to find open space with out the ball, and his success in pulling up for transition three-pointers.

Redick turns 33-years old this summer, making a signing to Philadelphia unlikely. He may also want to secure a long-term deal as his game starts to fade. If the Sixers can throw a big two-year deal at the guard, it may do the trick. Wojnarowski estimates Redick can see somewhere around $16 million per year, a contract Philadelphia could eat for the next two years.

It all seems pretty golden. Redick would come in next to Ben Simmons, serving as an outside option while Joel Embiid dominates the paint. In an ideal world, it would work seamlessly. The problem, however, is Redick’s inability as a secondary ball handler.

It’s not that he’s horrible at taking over the ball in rare instances, but it takes away from his elite catch and shooting skill. He is also shaky with the ball around the perimeter and tends to find the safest look around him. While Simmons is expected to take the helm of the offense, the importance of a secondary ball handler takes pressure off the rookie while also giving the offense a safety net in sticky situations.

Along with that, if Simmons were to defend point guards, Redick would be another hole in a team looking to gel together a defensive unit. The signing may make more sense if the team targets defensive-minded wing Josh Jackson, who would also benefit from the offensive spacing and can alleviate some defensive holes with his high defensive IQ.

Basically, Redick makes sense and doesn’t at the same time for the Sixers. In what may be a long shot pursuit anyways, the veteran Redick improves the team offensively while still leaving questions on the other end. How much can his skill be maximized in this Brett Brown offense? How will the veteran gel in what’s essentially a starting lineup of overgrown kids?

There’s always positives and negatives to each signing, and it’s no different with Redick. No, he’s not the perfect fit next to Simmons, but who is? Redick alleviates some of the spacing issues Philadelphia is bound to have barring any other major roster move, and he brings a positive veteran presence with playoff experience.

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The pursuit of Redick may all be for naught, but general manager Bryan Colangelo will be showing his aggressiveness this offseason and will at least throw the Sixers in the ring. Redick to Philadelphia may never happen, and we may never know what kind of net impact he would make as the team moves forward.