JJ Redick: Re-signing with Clippers was not an option

One of the more interesting NBA free agent signings this summer was JJ Redick joining the youth movement in Philadelphia.

The veteran shooting guard, who signed a one-year, $23 million contact with the 76ers, should provide some leadership and perimeter scoring to a team that has a lot of young talent still learning how to play in the NBA.

Redick said Wednesday on his new podcast, The Chronicles of Redick, that "coming off the four best years" of his career, he wasn't going to be able to keep it going with the Los Angeles Clippers.

"I know some Clippers fans and maybe some NBA fans may be wondering like, why did I not go back or there are probably some ignorant people out there who are questioning my loyalty," he said. "Going back to the Clippers was, honestly, not an option.

"I kind of figured last summer when they signed Austin (Rivers) and Jamal (Crawford) back, they had basically guaranteed $25 million in salary for this upcoming season and I knew they weren't going to be able to commit financially longterm to having a third shooting guard at a high rate. That's just unrealistic. You can't have $30-$40 million at one position, especially when you're going to have two or three max players on the team.

"So on June 29 (executive vice president of basketball operations) Lawrence Frank was nice enough and professional enough to give me a call. I call it my break-up call. He basically said, we're not going to bring you back."

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Redick noted that he chose the 76ers instead of the Houston Rockets, who he said offered him more money, because he didn't want to come off the bench.

Redick also said that going to Philadelphia won't be the only change.

"People are freaking out that I'm not going to wear No. 4 anymore and I'm going to 17," he said. "Seventeen is a very random number. Basically, I requested 4, but (76ers president) Bryan Colangelo told me that 4 was being retired. I believe Dolph Schayes wore 4 and that was not an option. So I had to go to double digits and 17 looked kind of cool."

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