JJ Redick Says Sixers Messed up by Not Bringing Him Back

Former Philadelphia 76ers guard JJ Redick recently had some strong words for the Sixers after they failed to bring him back last season.

Last summer, JJ Redick made it clear he would prefer to finish his career with the Philadelphia 76ers after spending two seasons there. A couple of days later, Redick became a member of the New Orleans Pelicans as he inked a two-year deal, worth $26 million. So, what went wrong?

Redick mentioned before he had a sense the Sixers weren't going to bring him back for the 2019-2020 season following his exit interview with the team's General Manager, Elton Brand last summer. Considering the Sixers had plans to go with taller and more defensive-centric players, that left Redick as an odd-man-out.

And recently, Redick had some strong words regarding the Sixers' decision to allow him to walk to New Orleans last offseason. "They [expletive] up not bringing me back, man," Redick said on the 'All the Smoke' podcast with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. "They [expletive] up not bringing me back," he repeated.

Well, it's hard to argue Redick's sentiment. After all, the Sixers struggled on offense throughout the year as they lacked consistent shooters. Plus, Redick's value as a veteran leader was sorely missed as Philly lacked accountability and vocal leadership in the locker room throughout the year.

Redick knows it, the fans know it, and Matt Barnes acknowledged it too. "I agree [the Sixers messed up]," Barnes responded to Redick. "I completely agree. I agree 1000%, and that's what people don't get. You're not a star, but you're a glue, consistent guy that knocks down shots, and you need that, especially with [Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons]."

This year, Elton Brand and the Sixers' front office have tons of work to do. As they let some of their most prominent players go from the successful 2019 NBA Playoff run ahead of the 2020 season, they're going to have to make the situation right again through the draft, and the trade market as Redick won't be walking through the doors of the Wells Fargo Center again as he remains with the Pelicans.

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