Despite Signing With Pelicans, JJ Redick and 76ers Had Mutual Interest in Reuniting

Although he signed with the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason, JJ Redick did have interest in finishing his career with the Philadelphia 76ers.

Nearly three years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers were on the hunt for a seasoned veteran to come in and lead their young roster. After considering multiple options, the Sixers landed veteran sharpshooter, JJ Redick, with a one-year deal.

At the time, it seemed Redick's chances of staying in Philly beyond that lone season were slim. However, Redick's contributions to a team that caught fire and unexpectedly made it to the playoffs convinced the Sixers to bring him back on another one-year deal.

After spending two seasons in Philly, Redick was once again an impending free agent as the 2019 offseason approached. As a good chunk of the Sixers' roster was on expiring deals, significant changes were expected to be made.

It was unclear if Redick was in the Sixers' plans beyond the 2019 postseason, but the veteran guard made it apparent that he would like to finish his career in Philadelphia. Unfortunately, Redick ended up signing with the New Orleans Pelicans. 

Did the Sixers simply want to move on from Redick? Or did the veteran guard change his mind about coming back to Philly? Apparently, neither factored into the equation. There was mutual interest in a reunion between Redick and the Sixers, but it seems Philly's direction caused them to lose a bidding war with New Orleans.

"I've said this before, this is not a knock on New Orleans, but I would've loved to have been back and finish my career in Philly," Redick told Derek Bodner and Rich Hofman of Sixers Beat. "Elton [Brand] was transparent with me. It wasn't like he said, 'we don't want you back.' He said, 'we want you back.' Philly made an offer. You can read between the lines a little bit, and I got a sense that they wanted to be bigger across the board."

No kidding. While Redick's skill set was an excellent fit with the Sixers, he surely didn't meet the physical description of the 76ers' 2019-2020 roster. Throughout the 2019 offseason, the Sixers prioritized height and defense. Redick, who is a six-foot-four shooter, must not have received a favorable offer from Philly. Therefore, he started a new beginning with a young and talented Pelicans team over in New Orleans.

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