The Sixer Sense
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Don’t worry about J.J. Redick’s slump

By Christopher Kline

MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 27: JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Miami Heat February 27, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI, FL - FEBRUARY 27: JJ Redick #17 of the Philadelphia 76ers handles the ball against the Miami Heat February 27, 2018 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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J.J. Redick is slumping, but that shouldn’t really concern Philadelphia 76ers fans.

While Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons get most of the credit for the Philadelphia 76ers‘ success, J.J. Redick has been a major cog in their offense all season. He’s averaging a career-high 16.6 points per game, with a significant portion of Brett Brown’s system devoted to finding him open looks on the perimeter.

That’s why his recent slump has left some Sixer fans concerned.

Redick does a lot of good things on the basketball court, but he also has some well-defined limitations. He’s probably the weakest defensive link in the starting unit, while he tends to falter when shots aren’t falling. In the last five games, his shots haven’t been falling.

Over that stretch, Redick is shooting just 26.3 percent from deep, which is well below his season-long mark of 39.6 percent. That’s not great coming from the team’s second-leading scorer.

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When you put his slump into context, though, that concern is diminished. He should regain form relatively soon.

Redick is averaging 12.7 shot attempts per game. Now in his 12th NBA season, that’s the highest mark of his career. That means this season has been about more than simply adjusting to a leadership role on a younger team; he’s also taking on the biggest offensive workload of his career.

Brett Brown makes sure Redick is involved with Embiid and Simmons on several different actions. We’ve also seen J.J. put the ball on the floor more often than he did with the Clippers or other teams in years past, working his way into open space off the bounce.

Naturally, his efficiency is going to take a hit as a result. It also means that things look even worse when shots aren’t falling.

Just about every elite shooter goes through periodic droughts, whether it be Stephen Curry, Kyle Korver, or Redick. It’s virtually impossible for somebody to sustain sky-high efficiency for an entire season without some form of fluctuation in the process.

Add in an increased offensive role, and Redick going through some rough stretches — which he has done a few times this season — has to be the expectation. It has been a difficult five-game stretch, but that’s all it is. It’s not a trend or anything suggesting prolonged struggles moving forward.

Redick’s offensive role, more than anything else, was one of the factors that brought him to Philly in the first place. They’re close to his home in Brooklyn and were willing to devote a significant chunk of the offense to his shooting prowess.

That, with $23 million, has some appeal.

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We know Redick’s limitations, which is going to make him look bad on some nights given his increased role. We’ve also seen how good he looks when shots are falling, though, and his longstanding resume of success should warrant optimism in the coming weeks.