Philadelphia 76ers: J.J. Redick proving an inspired signing

The Philadelphia 76ers and J.J. Redick are exhibiting the signs of an ideal partnership at this early stage of their alliance.

At his introductory press conference upon signing with the Philadelphia 76ers, J.J. Redick was incredibly excited about joining a team that had compiled a meager 75-253 record over the past four seasons:

"“To be honest, he [head coach Brett Brown] was probably the biggest factor in this decision. He’s someone that I’ve watched, and someone I’ve wanted to play for, and I’m thrilled to be playing for him next year. I think for me personally, that was the biggest thing, just the fit of playing in his system. And of course the young talent this team has, and where I fit, and sort of complement their talents. I think it’s a great match.”"

These comments virtually mirrored coach Brown’s sentiments following Redick’s season-high 31 points in a 121-110 win over the Indiana Pacers:

"“When you bring someone in and you say ‘what is their idenitifiable NBA skill?,’ it’s not hard to reach for what his is. His skill set completely complements Joel Embiid’s and Ben [Simmons] driving it and finding him. And tonight, we all saw J.J. at his best when it mattered the most.”"

While the one-year, $23 million price tag that accompanied Redick’s signing certainly raised some eyebrows, his contributions thus far have been invaluable.

Through his first seven games, Redick is averaging 15.0 points and 3.6 assists in 32.4 minutes per game, while shooting at his customary elite 43.5 percent clip from 3-point range. And while it’s just a small sample size, some of Redick’s other early season numbers have certainly been noteworthy.

Thus far, Redick is averaging a career-best plus/minus at +8.6 per game, which includes three games of being at least a +20 while on the floor. Considering he played on a Los Angeles Clippers team that won at least 50 games over the past seasons, this is a real testament to his fit with the Sixers.

In an overall sense, the Sixers have been 10.7 points per 100 possessions offensively when Redick has been on the floor. And while he has never been known for his defense, the Sixers have in fact been 14.5 points per 100 possessions better off defensively when Redick has taken the court.

With a net rating through seven games of +11.2, Redick currently ranks seventh among all guards who have averaged at least 30 minutes per game.

In terms of his best return with teammates, Redick has produced a net rating of +14.5 when on the floor with center Joel Embiid. With the manner in which his game complements the skill-set of Embiid, it’s not surprising that their pairing has so far proven to be a nightmare for opposing teams.

And while he’s not the sole reason, Redick’s presence has certainly had a huge influence in transforming the Sixers’ offensive numbers this season:

Points per game

• 2016-17: 102.4 (25th)
• 2017-18: 107.7 (10th)

3-point percentage:

• 2016-17: 34.0 percent (25th)
• 2017-18: 39.5 percent (4th)

Offensive rating (points per 100 possessions):

• 2016-17: 100.7 (30th)
• 2017-18: 102.9 (19th)

It’s worth noting that Sixers’ offensive rating has exploded during their current four-game winning streak, posting a rating of 111.5 while ranking fourth overall during that span.

Despite missing two early games this season due to a back tightness, Redick’s durability is not a concern for the Sixers, with the 33-year-old having missed a total of just 15 games over his previous three seasons.

Next: 2017-18 Week 4 NBA Power Rankings

With the Sixers now above .500 for the first time since November 2013, they head on a five-game West Coast road trip commencing Tuesday night against the Utah Jazz. And while the rising duo of Embiid and Ben Simmons have received the majority of headlines as the Sixers have emerged this season, Redick’s importance to the team simply cannot be underestimated.