Philadelphia 76ers Sign JJ Redick, Amir Johnson To Lucrative 1-Year Deals
To complement their rebuild, the Philadelphia 76ers have continued to “Trust the Process” by bringing in two new veterans.
The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to massive one-year deals to veterans JJ Redick and Amir Johnson. Redick signed for a whopping $23 million, while Amir Johnson signed for $11 million.
Both are well-traveled NBA players who can provide the veteran leadership and professionalism that the #ProcessKids need to emulate. They’re going to be paid big mostly for their future off-court contributions: teaching the kids during film sessions, setting an example by going to the gym early and leaving late for extra workout, and displaying the discipline to come in to work day in and day out.
But, while they probably won’t see any big minutes, both vets could still play key roles.
JJ Redick 2016–17 Stats: 15 points (44.5 field goal percentage, 42.9 3-point percentage), 2.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Amir Johnson 2016–17 Stats: 6.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists
Fit
The 76ers, and their Morey-esque shot selection, will allow Redick, and his prolific volume 3-point shooting, to flourish. He averaged 15.8 points (61.5 percent true shooting) and 2.5 3-pointers made in four seasons with the Clippers.
His game could be the final key that unlocks Embiid’s post game even more and could allow Simmons, despite a shaky jumper, to flourish as soon as he first steps onto the NBA hardwood. Get ready for 20-point-scorer JJ Redick.
Amir Johnson, on the other hand, will probably not see as many minutes as Redick. Not with Embiid, Saric and Simmons onboard (not to mention Okafor, whose trade value has tanked). However, despite his diminishing athleticism, Johnson is still a good player — in spurts. He could prove to be a great practice player versus the youngsters, and on occasion, could earn game-time minutes from Coach Brett Brown when Brown wants a vet on the court.
The more important thing here is the 76ers are kicking the process into a higher gear, but not fully committing to it by signing a good player into a long contract. They’re keeping their powder dry for next season, where they could again open up maximum cap space. There will be bigger free agents available then (hello Banana Boat), not to mention Joel Embiid’s pending extension.
Signings Grade: B+
