After four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers, JJ Redick signed a one-year, $23 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite receiving long-term deals from numerous teams, the 33-year-old ultimately liked the challenge of trying to make the postseason with the young core of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Markelle Fultz.
Before signing with the Sixers, Redick revealed he developed a relationship with Simmons and Embiid with HoopsHype as transcribed by Kyle Neubeck of Liberty Ballers:
I started texting Ben Simmons back in like February or March or something, we have a mutual friend in Philly, so I’ve gotten to know him a little bit, and gotten to know [Joel] Embiid of course. We saw each other at the Steve Nash charity soccer game in New York, probably chatted for like an hour and a half, and that was like two weeks prior to free agency, just happened to run into each other.
When asked about the goal for the 2017-18 NBA season, Redick believes the Sixers are capable of making the playoffs after years of rebuilding:
I think the goal should be to make the playoffs. That’s something as a group we’ve kind of talked about, we’ve kind of said that to each other, we’re going to be good this year, we’re going to make the playoffs. That’s the goal. Now, I don’t know what that means; is that an eight seed at 38-44, or is it a five seed at 48-34? I don’t know, I truthfully don’t know.
For Redick, his veteran presence and leadership will be invaluable to the development of Embiid, Simmons, and Fultz. In this new role, it will allow him to mentor the young core as they look to make the postseason in the depleted Eastern Conference.
As for the Sixers, the 11-year veteran is the ideal player for head coach Brett Brown. In addition to Redick's high character, he is a career 41.5 percent three-point shooter and will provide much-needed floor spacing heading into the new season.
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