Jason Richardson is open to re-signing with the Sixers this summer, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. The 34-year-old, who is set for unrestricted free agency, envisions himself in a similar role to the one he had this season. He served as a mentor to younger players while attempting to make the most of playing time. Richardson returned to the court on Feb. 20th for the first time in more than two years after suffering knee and ankle injuries. In 19 games, he averaged 9.1 points per game, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists in 21.9 minutes. In March, Sixers coach Brett Brown said he didn’t see a reason why the 34-year-old couldn’t play for another couple of seasons.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- In a separate piece, Pompey opines that it’s very likely Sixers fans will be calling for front office firings if winning is not made a priority after two straight seasons of tanking. Sixers co-managing owner Josh Harris said the team is “making progress” after its second season of tanking, Pompey writes. Harris did not say, however, when the team expects to start winning more games. “I just don’t think we’re there yet,” Harris said. “I think over time, the team will tell you. We’re going to continue to add great players, the best players we can, and really make sure they are well-coached and well-conditioned and ready to play and excited to be part of our organization and to bring it. And they are going to ultimately answer that question themselves.”
- Marc Berman of the New York Post listed LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Monroe, Paul Millsap, Rajon Rondo, Wesley Matthews, DeAndre Jordan, Robin Lopez, Tobias Harris, DeMarre Carroll, Khris Middleton, Danny Green and Patrick Beverley as 12 realistic free-agent targets for the Knicks. Those are a lot of names, of course, and some are more realistic than others. The Knicks are expected to be one of Monroe’s top choices. Berman writes that Hawks guard/forward Carroll has expressed interest in New York and playing for Derek Fisher. Last week, Carroll said he would “most definitely” give a great deal of consideration to the Knicks.