Philadelphia 76ers: Is JJ Redick a Top Signing in Team History?

Over the years, the Philadelphia 76ers, like many teams around the NBA, has made a significant amount of free agency signings to complete their roster. But unlike a handful of notable teams, the Sixers haven't had more booms than busts. 

Last week, NBC Sports Philadelphia's Noah Levick noted the five worst signings in Sixers history, and the list included Scott Williams, Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, Elton Brand, and Matt Geiger. Shortly after, Paul Hudrick of NBC Sports Philly listed the five-best signings in Sixers history, and quite a few recent names appeared on the list.

At number four overall, Hudrick lists former 76ers shooting guard, JJ Redick. While Redick's time in Philly was impressive, it was quite shocking to see a guy who has only spent two seasons in Philly be considered one of the best signings in team history. Let's take a look at the case for Redick's position.

"In the previous offseason, Bryan Colangelo unsuccessfully tried to use the Sixers' expansive cap space to land a veteran free agent. At that point, Embiid had yet to play a game and Simmons had just been drafted. After the league saw 31 games from Embiid and knew Simmons would be coming back healthy, the Sixers would have better luck."

"Brett Brown sold Redick on the idea of playing with Embiid. It wasn't just talk. The two-man game between the dominant center and sharpshooter was lethal. Redick had his two best NBA scoring seasons with the Sixers, averaging 17.6 points a game. In just two seasons, he made the sixth-most threes in franchise history at the fourth-highest percentage (40.7)."

Redick put up some meaningful numbers during his time with the Sixers. Although his size and defensive skillset didn't fit the Elton Brand/Brett Brown mold for this year's 76ers team, Redick offered Philly reliable shooting consistently throughout the year and especially in crunch time when they needed it the most.

And on top of Redick's offensive abilities, the veteran guard was also a respectable leader on a young team that needed guidance. It's unfortunate the 76ers chose to part ways with Redick just days after he mentioned he would like to wrap his career up with the Sixers, but the team prioritized size and defense over pure shooting. 

It's tough to think a player who has only spent two seasons with a franchise beyond his prime could be considered a top pickup of all time, but in this case, it's hard to argue. JJ Redick was a valuable veteran for the Sixers, and it's tough to imagine they get as far as they did without him. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_