Philadelphia 76ers: Josh Richardson is an underrated asset

By Christopher Kline | May 30, 2020

Josh Richardson | Philadelphia 76ers (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

Josh Richardson is quietly one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ most important pieces.

For reasons both internal and external, the 2019-20 season has been a disaster for the Philadelphia 76ers. In addition to a global pandemic, the Sixers have grossly underperformed relative to expectations. Some blame it on the front office, others blame it on the coach, and certain players have already been labeled as scapegoats. It’s a mess.

The Sixers have no clear path forward, and the roster is bound to undergo changes at some point. Elton Brand and the front office took a radical approach to team-building last summer, and the results to date are grim. A return to some form of modern basketball philosophy is due.

As far as moves last summer go, the apparent decision to (trade) let Jimmy Butler walk — to criticize his temperament and tempt his departure — tops the list of mistakes. The front office should have done everything in its power to retain Butler, but no such actions were taken.

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Josh Richardson was the return package for Butler, and with Butler as a natural point of comparison, he has received some unfair criticism in his first season as a Sixer. On the whole, however, Richardson has been largely overlooked. He simply doesn’t stir up the same emotions as other players on the roster, positive or negative.

He’s not quiet — in fact, he’s a vocal presence in the locker room and on social media — but Richardson seems to innocuously float by in most Sixers discourse, seldom sparking debate or contention in the fanbase. He has an almost passive relationship with Philadelphia. He ardently supports the city and the franchise, but he doesn’t receive neither acclaim nor criticism in return.

I’m here to voice support for Richardson, at least in terms of his value to the Sixers’ present and future. He’s someone the fanbase should appreciate and rally behind, even if he’s a sizable step down from Butler in terms of production and efficiency.

Richardson is really good at basketball. He’s only shooting 42.9 percent from the floor, and his three-point percentage is down significantly from last season, but he still provides value as a spot-up shooter and a secondary creator. He’s no point guard — something the Sixers learned quickly — but he can run pick-and-rolls, spring inside, and work the in-between game effectively.

The Sixers need players who can both space the floor and handle the basketball. In that capacity, Richardson is still integral to the Sixers’ success, which became increasingly evident upon his return from injury in early February. The Sixers have benefited from the arrival of Shake Milton and Alec Burks, but Richardson is still the most talented source of perimeter shot creation on the roster.

Richardson is also tough as hell. He grinds on defense, he embraces contact, and he is normally first on the ground for loose balls — or maybe second, behind Ben Simmons. He’s a winning player. The kind who galvanizes teammates. The kind whose effusive energy can swing the momentum of a game.

Both an elite defender and a critical piece to the Sixers’ offense, it’s difficult to overstate Richardson’s current value to the franchise. He doesn’t have the flashiest style or the biggest name, but he’s a top-60 player on his best days, and someone the Sixers will count on this postseason.

In addition to his immediate value, Richardson is only 26. Matisse Thybulle and Shake Milton are often held up as bastions of Philadelphia’s future, but they’re 23 — only three years younger than Richardson. At the very beginning of his prime and many years from obsolescence, Richardson deserves more credit as a major part of the Sixers’ future.

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Philadelphia has Richardson on the books for $10.8 million next season, a bargain price. He has a player option for 2021-22, but odds are, he will elect for unrestricted free agency. The Sixers will need to reckon with Richardson’s importance, as well as the franchise’s dire financial situation, and come to a decision. Hopefully, that decision involves Richardson’s return.