Philadelphia 76ers: J.J. Redick just wants the best for Joel Embiid

What Joel Embiid and J.J. Redick had on the court for the Philadelphia 76ers was something special.

After taking the association by storm, albeit in a sample size of games not quite large enough to garner Rookie of the Year award considerations, general manager Bryan Colangelo went out and signed the best shooter on the open market to help space the field for his premier post performer.

Now of the moves that particular team made in the summer of 2017, signing Redick was probably the second most consequential, as that was the year Colangelo exchanged a pair of first round picks to move up and draft Markelle Fultz, but with hindsight being what it is, it’s clear the decision to play the former Duke Blue Devil $23 million was money well spent, and provided the best on-court return on investment.

So when J.J. Redick speaks on his former pick-and-pop partner, one has to listen, especially when he goes on the record via his new gig at ESPN. While I doubt Redick’s words have much sway with his former coach, his former teammate-turned-GM, or the team’s President of Basketball Operations, it’s clear the shooter born Jonathan Clay wants to see Joel Embiid operate with a better supporting cast in this, a “wide open” season.

J.J. Redick wants to see the Philadelphia 76ers go all-in on 2021-22.

Alright, allow me to summarize J.J. Redick’s case: Joel Embiid is playing at an MVP level, the Philadelphia 76ers’ supporting cast is less than elite, and the NBA is more “wide open” than in years prior. If Daryl Morey can make a deal that elevates the Sixers’ base talent level, it could be enough to put the team over the top.

Now granted, is this a unique take? No. Everyone from Zach Lowe to Kevin O’Conner has commented on how the Sixers have a better opportunity than any other team to get better midseason either via trade or the return of Ben Simmons and thus, it’s hard to truly evaluate the team’s talent until it actually after the trade deadline. Down $33 million in on-court talent, the Sixers would be lucky to make it to the playoffs but with some sort of reinforcements, be they external or internal, the team’s ceiling undoubtedly rises.

Could the latter situation actually come to fruition? Could Simmons, after watching his team suffer through COVID outbreaks, injuries, and a lack of playmaking all season long, actually admit defeat and return to the court in a red, white, and blue uniform? I mean probably not but hey, anything is possible I guess.

Assuming that doesn’t go down and Simmons instead continues to spend his nights playing CoD in Twitch, making a deal unquestionably sets the Sixers up for the best chance at success both in the first half of 2022 and for years thereafter.

Are there deals on the table that could fit that bill? Potentially so. If you sift through the suggestions that Domantas Sabonis is a good fit in Philly – he isn’t, read more about it here – you’ll see a few inspired options that could set the team up for long-term success, from a Sacramento Kings deal centered around Tyrese Haliburton or a deal with the Atlanta Hawks that brings back John Collins.

Would it stink to “cash-out” on an opportunity to sign-and-trade for a player like James Harden? Maybe so but hey, if Morey can get back enough picks in a hypothetical deal, that option could still theoretically be on the table.

Either way, it’s hard to argue with Redick’s point at least in a vague sense, as even if the Sixers hold onto Simmons, they need at the very least upgrade the roster on the margins with players who can actually play come playoff time.

Anyone who tells you they definitively know the next three weeks will play out for the Philadelphia 76ers is just plain wrong. There are so many different ways things could play out, a slew of different variables that could help or hurt a potential trade package and the possibility that a star demands out at the most opportune time. While J.J. Redick and a good swash of the Philly fanbase would like nothing more than to see the “Ben Simmons Saga” come to an end with a deal capable of vaulting the Sixers #ToTheMoon, it’s clear Daryl Morey isn’t going to punt on the future for short-term success. And thus, we have to wait and see.