What Are Chances J.J. Redick Signs With Milwaukee Bucks This Summer?

The Milwaukee Bucks successfully traded for shooting guard J.J. Redick, a move that greatly improves their three-guard rotation for at least the last 29 games of the 2012-13 NBA season. Unfortunately, the deal also leaves several question marks for this off-season, such as what are the chances Redick signs with the Bucks this summer?

Redick has yet to speak with Milwaukee about signing some sort of long-term deal with the team, but it is obvious that will all be coming shortly. The Bucks did not trade away two key parts of their future (Tobias Harris, Doron Lamb) for someone that they think is just going to walk once the season concludes.

“I think with them bringing me in I assume they want to get into the playoffs, make a playoff run and try to get as high a seed as possible,” Redick said. “Hopefully, I can help them do that and we’ll deal with the summer when the summer happens.”

Milwaukee currently sits in the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 26-27 record after losing eight of their last 10 games. The hope is that Redick will be able to be a productive shooting guard on offense and defense in which the team should be able to climb the standings before the end of the regular season. The 28-year-old has a phenomenal outside shot that will help the Bucks be more successful along the perimeter, which in turn will improve the inside game for Ersan Ilyasova, Larry Sanders and Samuel Dalembert.

Redick is averaging a career-high 15.1 points per game while shooting 45.0 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from three-point range. However, to get those 15.1 points he is also averaging a career-high 31.5 minutes per game, which means if Milwaukee wants him to continue scoring then Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings will have to see less playing time, something that was going to happen regardless. Redick’s top shot percentage also means Ellis and Jennings must cool it on their own enthusiastic shooting style. The Bucks acquired Redick because their current starting guards were unable to get the job done in that area.

Milwaukee will most likely try to talk to their new guard about a contract, but Redick wants to focus on winning right now and will probably move the discussion away from any talks regarding the off-season. Fans are probably glad to hear this in the sense that it means it will not be distracting for him or the team during a critical part of the season in which the Bucks must get back to winning games quickly.

I believe there is a good chance the six-year veteran does re-sign with the organization, but a lot of it will have to do with how well Milwaukee finishes the season and what the future of the team will look like. There is a rumor that Redick wants $10 million per season, something he will not get. However, if the Bucks can show him the money and prove to him they are committed to winning then there is a realistic chance he will be in a Bucks uniform for many years to come.