Should J.J. Redick decide to take a bigger contract with another team, the LA Clippers could have better a replacement already.
Back in May, Clipperholics and Broderick Turner wrote that J.J. Redick may be looking for a bigger contract than what the LA Clippers would be willing to offer.
Is this “Redick replacement” a free agent that the Clippers are targeting? No. Is it someone from the D-League that the front office is scouting? No again. Who is it then? Drum-roll please…
Austin James Rivers: The most improved player for the LA Clippers this season. He excelled as a starter all season and he isn’t a free agent until the 2019 offseason. There is no news of the Clippers offering any contracts to Redick, Paul, or Griffin yet this summer, but we know that Paul and Griffin signing back with the team results in very little cap space for new free agents. This makes Austin Rivers the best option for replacing Redick in the starting five.
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Rivers started in 29 regular season games this year, and fit in nicely with the starting squad. Rivers had career high numbers in points (12 per game), assists (2.8), and in field goal (44.2) and three-point (37.1) percentages. He certainly experienced a semi-breakout season. Redick, on the other hand, struggled this season compared to the last. Here are his numbers compared to last season: 15 points per game compared to 16.3, 44.5% from the field compared to 48%, and 42.9% from three compared to 47.5%. He did not have a “large” decline this season, however there are some parts of the game that Redick will most likely not be improving at. Let’s not forget, he’ll turn 33 in a couple months. Look at their stats this season. They’re eerily close. Rivers, however, is 24 years old and has time to improve.
Austin Rivers is also a considerably better defender than J.J. Redick. His improvement and capability on the defensive end of the court was especially evident in the second half of the 2016-2017 NBA season and on into the playoffs. Rivers is also clearly more athletic than Redick. Rivers scores on 54.4% of his shots at the rim, while Redick looks for screens or spot up shots rather than drives to the basket. While Redick may be the better shooter than Rivers, Redick’s shot has statistically lessened in consistency while Rivers’ has increased. Basically, at 32 years of age, Redick is quite possibly declining while at 24 years of age, Rivers is growing exponentially while improving in areas that Redick never ventured into (defense and athleticism).
We of course hate to see Clippers’ veterans such J.J. Redick leave, so we hope that the front office can come to a deal with him on a reasonable new contract. However, Austin Rivers is an even better replacement for the starting guard position should Redick leave.