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Los Angeles Clippers: The Steady Hand Of J.J. Redick

By Nicholas Agar-Johnson

Oct 17, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard JJ Redick (4) dribbles up the court during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 104-78. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 17, 2016; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard JJ Redick (4) dribbles up the court during the first half against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Jazz won 104-78. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Los Angeles Clippers are in the midst of a tumultuous season with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin missing significant time. In spite of those injury woes, J.J. Redick has been a consistent contributor.

The Los Angeles Clippers have been a top-heavy team since the start of the Chris Paul era. With Blake Griffin quickly establishing himself as a superstar and DeAndre Jordan growing into an All-Star center, there has been little room for improvement around the edges.

Although Doc Rivers has done an excellent job with his veteran minimum signings, the team is heavily driven by star power. However, one key contributor is not often discussed in that light: J.J. Redick.

He might not be an All-Star, but Redick has been a revelation for the Clippers since signing in Los Angeles in 2013-14. His elite shooting and decent defense have made him an indispensable fourth banana in a stacked Clippers starting unit.

Despite having to play without Paul and Griffin for long stretches this season, Redick is once again having a solid, if not spectacular year. He is averaging 15.4 points per game with a very efficient 59.1 percent True Shooting mark.

Redick has also been remarkably consistent on the offensive end. He has scored between 10 and 19 points in the majority of his games and has dipped into single digits just nine times. His expiring contract, along with the early opt-outs for Griffin and Paul, will be a huge issue for Doc Rivers to handle this offseason.

Knockdown Shooting

J.J. Redick has been a remarkable shooter for his entire NBA career. However, his shooting really took off once he arrived in Los Angeles.

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After attempting more than five three-pointers a game just once in his first seven seasons, Redick hit that mark in each of his first three seasons for the Clippers. Redick is currently averaging a career-high 6.1 three-point attempts a game this season.

That high frequency from behind the arc also comes with incredible accuracy. Redick led the league in three-point shooting last year, making a staggering 47.5 percent of his triples. He has knocked down 42.3 percent of his shots from deep this year, still an elite mark and good for seventh in the league.

Redick is a master at slithering around screens on the perimeter to get himself open. Once he finds a sliver of daylight, the Clippers have become adept at getting the ball to him:

Redick is currently sixth in the league in catch-and-shoot scoring with 7.2 catch-and-shoot points per game, according to NBA.com’s shot tracking data. Only Otto Porter generates a larger percentage of his offense on those looks among the top 10 in catch-and-shoot points.

Redick starts alongside two excellent passers in Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. His ability to work his way into open shots is a huge boon to the Clippers offense.

Looking Forward: The Core Four

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin’s opt-outs put the Clippers in a tough position this offseason. Adding J.J. Redick’s expiring contract into the mix makes blowing up the team a distinct possibility. However, the core four of Paul, Griffin, Jordan, and Redick has once again been fantastic in its limited time together this season. That alone should convince Doc Rivers to do what he can to keep the band together.

J.J. might be the least heralded of the four, but that does not diminish his importance. Redick has a Net Rating of +8.4, the fourth-best mark on the team, per NBA.com. His Defensive Rating of 105.3 is slightly above the team mark of 105.8. While defense is not his strong suit, he has an impeccable knowledge of where to be on the defensive end. His high basketball IQ and consistent effort allow him to be passable on that end.

The complicated dynamics of this upcoming offseason may spell the end of J.J.’s time with the Clippers. However, the core four starters are still incredible together. The Clippers have consistently struggled to find a fifth player to fill their hole at small forward. That issue might be solved before the trade deadline. Even without a trade, the core four is perfectly deadly with Luc Mbah a Moute alongside them.

Next: 10 Potential Carmelo Anthony Trades

J.J. Redick has proven that he is part of the Clippers’ core. Los Angeles will have to hope that this is not their last year together.

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