How J.J. Redick will fit on the Philadelphia 76ers roster

By signing J.J. Redick in free agency, the Philadelphia 76ers added some much needed three point shooting.  Exactly what kind of role will Redick play on the team this season?

It is only the first day of NBA free agency and things have already gotten pretty hectic.  Star players have been moved, role players have been signed, and the overall landscape of the league has been shaken up.

Going into the offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers number one priority was to improve their backcourt.  The first step they took towards improving was trading up to draft Markelle Fultz in the draft.

The second step they took was waiving Gerald Henderson to save the team $8 million in cap space.

The third and most recent step taken by the team was signing J.J. Redick to a one-year contract worth $23 million.

Redick has earned a reputation around the NBA of being one of the best sharpshooters from behind the three point line.  Last season he averaged 15 points, 1.4 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.  He also shot 42.9 percent from beyond the arc, and the season before he shot an incredible 47.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Looking deeper into the numbers, Redick’s three point percentage jumps up to 44.9 percent on catch and shoot opportunities.  With Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz constantly looking to attack the basket, the drive and kick will be a pivotal part of the Sixers offense.  Imagine Redick on the other end of the pass by Markelle Fultz in the tweet below.  Sixers fans can expect to see plenty of similar looks for Redick throughout the season.

The reason Redick finds so many open looks throughout the course of the game is that he is always moving off the ball.  Fultz and Simmons won’t always have to be the ones creating a play for others, as Redick is more than capable of creating his own space for a shot.  By always using screens and cutting to the basket, Redick has made a living out of finding open layups and three point shots, as seen below.

Redick also has a sneaky pump fake that he uses to get himself out of tight situations.  As seen below, he gets the defender to bite on his fake, which allows him to reestablish himself behind the line and square up for an open look.

Another surprising part of Redick’s game is his ability to make shots off the dribble.  Redick may not be the most skilled ball handler in the league, but he uses his dribbles precisely.  His three point percentage after two dribbles is a staggering 52.4 percent, and his percentage after 1 dribble is still a very solid 37.6 percent.  Below is an example of how quickly he uses his dribble to set his feet and square his body to knock down a heavily contested shot.

Clearly shooting is the least of the Sixers concerns when it comes to J.J. Redick.  The real concern is Redick’s lack of production on the defensive end and his inferior playmaking ability.

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On defense, the player that Redick was guarding shot 3.4 percent better from the field last season.  Luckily this has not necessarily hindered his team’s total defensive effort, as he posted a 105 defensive rating last season.  Redick is going to be the player that the Sixers will have guard the weakest offensive player on the opposing team, which has always been Redick’s role throughout his career.

Redick may not be anywhere close to a lockdown defender, but every lineup he took part in for the Clippers found success.  Every single five man lineup that Redick was a part of for the Clippers last year outscored their opponents.  That is a feat that cannot be said about Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, who were the team’s two best players last year.

The one part of Redick’s game that causes some reason for concern is his below average passing ability.  When he picks up his dribble he sometimes gets lazy and throws weak passes that easily get intercepted.  He can also on occasion play out of control when multiple defenders swarm him, causing his passes to go astray.  Luckily these are issues that can be fixed, as they are mental mistakes more than they are mistakes due to lack of ability.

In a matter of a year, the 76ers turned their least talented position into one loaded with talent. J.J. Redick, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Jerryd Bayless all bring different skillsets to the table for the Sixers, and they can all produce in spurts on the court.

Next: Paul George Trade Opens The Playoff Door

Overall, the addition of Redick to the Philadelphia 76ers should prove to be a very smart one.  His contract allows the team to preserve future cap space, which will be used to extend players such as Simmons and Embiid.  In the short term, Redick brings the outside shooting necessary to open up the offense and create space for others.  With the playoffs in sight after numerous Eastern Conference teams getting weaker, the future of “The Process” is very bright.