J.J. Redick’s connection with the Sixers runs deep

J.J. Redick and the Philadelphia 76ers were connected well before free agency started.

The Philadelphia 76ers have held one need above all else in recent years: shooting. As they’ve trudged through losing seasons with a big-heavy rotation, The Process’ greatest deprivation has been floor spacing. It not only limited the growth curve of a player like Nerlens Noel, but also made it harder for Brett Brown run his actions with the highest level of execution.

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That’s why the J.J. Redick was so huge. With Joel Embiid trending towards full health and both Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz set to join the rotation, the Sixers finally addressed their most pressing issue in the form of one of the league’s foremost perimeter shooters.

Redick has shot 41.5 percent from beyond the arc during his career, a percentage that falls well beyond the norm for even solid NBA shooters. He upped that mark to 42.9 last season, while is hit a career-high 47.5 percent in the 2015-16 season. That’s system-altering prowess.

The Sixers’ young core, above all else, is one that will lean heavily on Redick’s presence. Simmons still hasn’t flashed enough of a jumper to instill confidence, while Embiid is at his best when players are hitting shots around him. Fultz figures to be the go-to scorer on the perimeter, but even his game — both in terms of scoring and distributing — is impacted significantly by a floor spacer of Redick’s caliber.

Shelling out $23 million is a lot of money, but it comes in the form of a one-year deal. Philadelphia avoided any long term commitments to an aging veteran, yet brought on somebody whose game can up the effectiveness of their schemes tenfold.

The most interesting part of this storyline, however, isn’t why the Sixers signed Redick. It’s how.

Redick has been fairly public about his decision, releasing a mini-documentary through the Undefeated Network while detailing his decision-making through several different media outlets.

He has mentioned Philly as his team for choice on multiple occasions now, passing up on a long-term deal with the Houston Rockets while embracing the opportunity to mentor a young core with the potential to compete.

Redick has stated that the goal is to make the playoffs, but also acknowledges this as a new chapter in his career. He’ll be the veteran in the locker room for the first time in his 11-year career, during which he has been part of the postseason every year.

With all of that in mind, Redick’s decision still went deeper than basketball. It’s the connections he has made with those around the organization.

Redick opened up on these connections in his appearance on Alex Kennedy’s HoopsHype podcast.

It’s been known for quite some time now that Brett Brown was an integral part of Redick’s urge to join Philadelphia. He praised Brown’s ability to grow the culture in Philadelphia, while his basketball knowledge and general love of the game was clearly enticing.

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The 33-year-old also mentioned approval for Brown from around the league, stating that multiple players had dubbed Brown their “favorite coach” in the NBA. That’s high praise from professionals who work with a myriad of personnel during the season, often doing so with multiple teams over the course of their career.

He opened up on the subject even more so in a recent interview, saying that Brett Brown had him running post actions with Joel Embiid while wearing a blazer at a 1AM meeting. They went on to talk X’s and O’s, while Redick decision obviously came shortly after in early July.

In his podcast discussion, Redick also mentioned his other connections around the organization — namely Embiid and Simmons.

The Embiid connection started at Steve Nash‘s charity soccer game, where the two chatted “ an hour and a half.” While that doesn’t seem like a longstanding relationship, it could have laid the foundation for whatever conversations the two may have had closer to free agency.

Redick also pointed out that he had been texting Simmons since February — something he hadn’t touched on prior. That means Redick was in contact with two of the Sixers’ most important pieces well before free agency kicked off.

While you can’t read too far into those comments, there’s a reason he’s bringing up a charity soccer game and text messages from February. If they were unforgettable as a whole, there’s no reason for him to casually speak of lengthy conversations he has had with both players. There was obviously something there, which likely played a decisive role in his decision to commit to Philadelphia on a short-term deal.

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The Sixers are building a culture — and connections — worth noting. That’s a significant upgrade from where they stood just a couple years back.