J.J. Redick took a cut in pay to join the Clippers. Wait, he did what? Well, the chance to make a run with Doc Rivers and Chris Paul did make a difference.
“Who would have thought five, six years ago, a Boston Celtics head coach would want to come to the L.A. Clippers? It shows how far this franchise has come,” Redick said. “The fact that Chris didn’t really entertain anything (other than re-signing with the Clippers) speaks volumes as well. Those two things happening, it was a no-brainer for me.
“Doc and I had talked before everything kind of happened. I’ve never really played with a pass-first guy before and Chris is that. He’s a guy who creates for his teammates and puts the ball in a position where they can score and I’m very excited about that.”
Redick has made a name for himself as a shooter but has won admiration for his tenacious attitude as well.
“He’s tough, rugged, not just a shooter, he will mix it up and get physical and that’s what I appreciate about him because I’ve seen a lot of guys try to go at him and he stands up for himself,” said Matt Barnes,also a teammate of Redick’s in Orlando. “He definitely has me backing him up again, but I like him, he stands on his own and he’s not afraid of anybody. Not to mention the great shooter he is.”