Philadelphia 76ers: Can J.J. Redick become the Sixers Manu Ginobili?

Since joining the Philadelphia 76ers in July, J.J. Redick has become a fixture of the team’s starting five. But could his best position on the team be as a 6th-man?

J.J. Redick has been an absolute revelation since joining the Philadelphia 76ers.

After playing the last four years of his career in Los Angeles, the former Duke Blue Devil took his talents east to Philadelphia to join the Ben Simmons experiment, and so far, it’s been a match made in heaven.

A professional shooter in every sense of the word, Redick has averaged almost 16-points-per-game while shooting an incredibly respectable 43-percent from three-point range. His veteran presence has helped to solidify the Brett Brown‘s starting unit, and his knock-down shooting has been a major asset to the development of Simmons as a true point guard.

Simply put, Redick has been the best shooter the 76ers have deployed in their starting lineup in over a decade, but could his best position on the team ultimately be coming off of the bench?

Sixth Wheel?

Just think about it for a second, virtually all of the best team’s in the league have a sharp-shooting player who comes off the bench and brings an instant energy to their team, and Redick could fill that role on this team for years to come.

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Much like the roles filled by former-Sixer Andre Iguodala, former teammate Jamal Crawford, and Coach Brown’s former player Manu Ginobili utalizing a wily veteran who’s able to step into a game and make an immediate contribution as a scorer can be a huge boon for a team with playoff aspirations.

At 32-years old, the one-year, $23 million deal Redick signed with the 76ers this past offseason will likely serve as a high-water mark for his career earnings, with whatever contract he signs next falling substantially below that per-year value, and that may have been on purpose. Redick quipped in an interview upon signing with the team that he would like to ultimately end his career in Philadelphia, and after seeing what he can do in an albeit limited sample size, I’m sure the team would oblige.

Which brings us to the question at hand.

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If Redick and the Sixers can finally take that next step forward and make the first playoff appearance of the Brett Brown-era, why would the former Duke Blue Devil want to leave a team on the upswing? After signing a vastly inflated contract for the 2017-2018 season, I could totally see Redick returning the favor and signing a more team-friendly, multi-year deal to finish out his pro career in the City of Brotherly Love.

While I doubt this was why the team signed him to a one-year deal originally, keeping Redick, a fantastic leader and veteran presence, around long-term, without using a max-contract would ensure that the team could keep their young-core of Simmons, Embiid and potentially Markelle Fultz together for the long-term.

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If and when Fultz eventually enters the team’s starting lineup alongside presumed starters Simmons, Embiid, Robert Covington and Dario Saric, Redick could shift into a role akin to the one currently held down by Ginobili in San Antonio, a move that could both prolong his career, and keep his legs fresh down the stretch. A win-win for both for all parties involved.