Before reaching an agreement with the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year, $12.3 million contract, J.J. Redick seriously considered signing with the Indiana Pacers.
On the most recent episode of The J.J. Redick podcast, the 34-year-old revealed how he contemplated leaving Philadelphia for Indiana in free agency. "I almost signed with Indy, I mean I was an hour away, two hours away," he said. "I was very close, I had a 5 p.m. deadline and it was basically 12:30-1 o'clock in the afternoon when Philly changed the offer." The 76ers likely sweetened their contract offer after learning of Indiana’s interest in the shooting guard. With both teams on the rise, Philadelphia couldn’t afford to lose a member of its starting lineup to a top-notch Eastern Conference foe.
J.J. Redick considered joining Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers in free agency. (USA Today Sports)
Philadelphia desperately needed to maintain the sharpshooting Redick—who averaged a career-best 17.1 points per contest and shot 42 percent from three-point territory in 2017-18—after losing Ersan Ilyasova and Marco Belinelli in free agency. While the Pacers were unable to pry Redick away from the 76ers, they managed to address their shooting needs by signing Tyreke Evans and Doug McDermott. Redick indicated last year he wants to retire with the 76ers. He will play under a one-year deal for the second straight year—after signing a 1-year, $20 million with the franchise in the summer of 2017—and will rejoin a team that won 52 games in the regular season and advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
With the NBA releasing its 2017–18 schedule on Monday, here is a glance at the must-see home contest for all 15 squads from the Eastern Conference.
Atlanta Hawks
Vs. Denver Nuggets (Oct. 27): Atlanta opted not to re-sign Paul Millsap, who compiled four All-Star seasons with the team before joining the Nuggets in the offseason via free agency. The Hawks will likely pay some sort of tribute to their former star Millsap, who conveyed his anger that Atlanta did not even make him a contract offer.
For a franchise in full rebuild mode, Millsap’s return to Atlanta might be the only thing Hawks fans can get excited about this season.
Boston Celtics
Vs. Washington Wizards (Dec. 25): The Celtics host a Christmas Day game for the first time in 53 years when the Wizards visit TD Garden in a rematch of last year’s seven-game Eastern Conference semifinals series.
John Wall and Isaiah Thomas will go head-to-head on Christmas. (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images)
The two best point guards in the East — Washington’s John Wall and Boston’s Isaiah Thomas — take center stage in a rivalry that now includes both of the Morris twins — with Markieff Morris entering his second full season (acquired at the 2016 trade deadline) with the Wizards and Marcus Morris now a member of the Celtics.
Brooklyn Nets
Vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Feb. 2): Lakers president Magic Johnson chastised Nets point guard D’Angelo Russell after trading him to Brooklyn. Russell didn’t pan out as expected with the Lakers, something Johnson made clearafter dealing the guard. Johnson said the Lakers needed “a leader” and someone whom “players want to play with” and Russell apparently didn’t fit the bill on either accounts.
Russell gets the chance to make Johnson eat his words (at least for one night) and goes head-to-head against the guy who replaced him, Lonzo Ball.
Charlotte Hornets
Vs. Los Angeles Lakers (Dec. 9): Will the attention-seeking LaVar Ball, father of Lonzo Ball, make the trip for the Lakers’ only visit to Charlotte?
If so, it would be intriguing to see Lavar, who has manipulated the media into covering his every move, interact with Michael Jordan. Lavar — successfully boasting his way into the league’s limelight with his incessant, nonsensical trash-talking tirades and all — claimed he would have “killed” NBA legend Jordan in one-on-one. Jordan snickered at Lavar’s comment, saying he could defeat LaVar playing on just one leg.
Chicago Bulls
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (Feb. 9): Jimmy Butler returns to the United Center — this time as a visitor and a member of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Former Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is entering his third season as Minnesota’s coach and president of basketball operations, also makes his lone visit of the year to Chicago for what is the Bulls’ only scheduled nationally televised game of the season.
Minnesota’s Tom Thibodeau (left) and Jimmy Butler (center) visit the Bulls in February. (AP Photo)
Cleveland Cavaliers
Vs. Golden State Warriors (Jan. 15): The Cavs look for redemption against the defending champion Golden State Warriors, who defeated Cleveland in a lopsided five-game NBA Finals last June.
Detroit Pistons
Vs. Charlotte Hornets (Oct. 18): Opening night against Charlotte in the Pistons’ new home court, Little Caesars Arena, should make for a boisterous atmosphere in downtown Detroit.
Indiana Pacers
Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder (Dec. 13): Expect boos when four-time All-Star Paul George returns to Bankers Life Fieldhouse. George demanded a trade and got his wish as the forward was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Paul George makes his lone trip of the season to Indianapolis in December. (Robert Scheer/IndyStar)
Miami Heat
Vs. Boston Celtics (Oct. 28): Kelly Olynyk plays his first game against the franchise that drafted him back in 2013 after signing a four-year, $50 million contract with the Heat this offseason.
Miami faces Gordon Hayward, who chose to sign with the Celtics over the Heat this summer.
Milwaukee Bucks
Vs. Toronto Raptors (Jan. 5): The upstart Bucks get a chance early in the 2018 calendar year for revenge against the team that knocked them out of the postseason.
The Bucks hope to prove they are now on Toronto’s level.
New York Knicks
Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Nov. 13): LeBron James has put on a show at Madison Square Garden on multiple occasions, averaging 28.5 points per contest in New York’s home arena. MSG is the only arena where James has topped the 50-point plateau twice.
But the main story-line here is Kyrie Irving playing against the Knicks (assuming Irving is still on Cleveland’s roster come mid-November), a team that is reportedly on his wish list for trade destinations.
According to reports, Kyrie Irving is interested in playing for the Knicks. (Darren Abate/AP)
A minor subplot is Derrick Rose’s return to New York, where he played one season and registered 18 points and 4.4 assists per game before signing with the Cavs this offseason.
Orlando Magic
Vs. Miami Heat (Oct. 18): No contest stands out in particular on the schedule for the Magic, who look destined for another losing season, so opening night against the in-state rival Miami Heat might be the game to attend for Orlando fans.
Philadelphia 76ers
Vs. Minnesota Timberwolves (March 24): The first overall pick in each of the past four NBA drafts — the 76ers’ Markelle Fultz and Ben Simmons and Minnesota’s Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins — will be in action for this contest featuring a bevy of young talent. Joel Embiid versus Towns could provide fireworks.
Toronto Raptors
Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers (Jan. 11): Cleveland has knocked Toronto out of the past two postseasons, as the Cavs swept the Raptors in the second-round last year.
It’s only a regular-season contest, but this game gives the Raptors a chance to see if they shortened any of the gap between themselves and the three-time reigning Eastern Conference champions.
Washington Wizards
Vs. Boston Celtics (Feb. 8): The Wizards host the team that defeated them in the East Semifinals for the first time in 2018.
The home team won every matchup (regular season and playoffs) last year.
With LeBron James returning home to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the balance of power has shifted dramatically in the Eastern Conference. The Cavs, who missed the playoffs in each of the four years James spent in Miami, will be the favorites to seize the East in the regular season--especially after acquiring Kevin Love in a blockbuster trade. The 25-year-old widely regarded as the NBA's top 'stretch four', Love is coming off a career-year, in which he averaged 26.1 points, 12.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists. Adding Love to a team already with Kyrie Irving and the best player in the NBA in James, the Cavs undoubtedly boast the most talented star trio in the league.
Could a Central Division foe--specifically the Chicago Bulls--prevent the Cavs from landing the top spot in the conference? Will the Bulls' signing of Pau Gasol be enough to snatch the top-seed?
Don't forget about the Washington Wizards, who are now the favorites to win the Southeast--a division the Heat dominated the past four seasons. The Wizards signed future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, who delivered in the clutch for the Brooklyn Nets in their first-round playoff series victory over the Toronto Raptors. The Wizards also bolstered their bench by adding DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries via free agency.
You can't sleep on the Raptors, either, after the club retained all of its core players from last year's Atlantic Division-champion roster.
So, how will the East stack up 1-15 in the upcoming year? I forecast the 2014-2015 standings below.
1.Cleveland Cavaliers
Key additions: LeBron James, Kevin Love (Via 3-Way Trade with Timberwolves & 76ers), Mike Miller, Joe Harris (R), James Jones, Brendan Haywood, Shawn Marion
Subtractions: Spencer Hawes (Clippers), Luol Deng (Heat), C.J. Miles (Pacers), Jarrett Jack & Tyler Zeller (Via 3-Way Trade with Celtics & Nets), Anthony Bennett (Via 3-Way Trade with Timberwolves & 76ers)
2.Chicago Bulls
Key additions: Pau Gasol, Doug McDermott (R), Nikola Mirotic (R-Spain), Aaron Brooks, E'Twaun Moore
Subtractions: Carlos Boozer (Via Amnesty clause--signed with Lakers), D.J. Augustin (Pistons), Jimmer Fredette (Pelicans)
3.Washington Wizards
Key additions: Paul Pierce, Kris Humphries, DeJuan Blair
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