The Philadelphia 76ers will have a lot of decisions to make in the offseason, among them, the return of several role players who proved vital to their success this season.
J.J. Redick's one-year, $23 million experiment resulted in the best statistical season of his career, averaging 17.1 points per game in 46 percent from the field, 42 percent from deep, and a flawless 90.1 percent clip from the foul line.
The 33-year-old noted his desire to return to the team next season, saying that his minutes won't matter as much as the money, length of the contract and the proximity to his family, according to Jon Johnson of KYW 1060 Philadelphia.
Marco Belinelli, who made several clutch shots during the postseason, echoed a similar sentiment.
“I really would like to be here next year,” said the Italian marksman.
“This organization is great. It has the mentality to improve every day, and try to win something. I’ve been in great organizations, because I was in San Antonio, [and] this organization is really great. Everything’s good, we just need to be better, and we will see next year.”
“Coach Brown is great… [I felt] really born again. [He] gave me the possibility to be myself. That, to me, was really important.”
T.J. McConnell, who logged a career-high 19 points in the Sixers' lone win in the Eastern Conference semifinals is also eager to return, hopeful to raise the bar for next season after getting this far.
“I think the bar is at a new level. And we’re going to have to perform the way we did this year. Anything less than what happened this year would be a disappointment for next year. We have to have a big summer for all of us, get in the gym, and get ready to go for next year.”
McConnell said he thinks the Sixers would exercise his player option, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. If the Sixers' decline it, he will become a restricted free agent, giving Philly the right to match but at the cost of losing cap space. Exercising it will trigger a clause to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019.
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