JJ Redick could join top ESPN play-by-play team after All-Star break

ESPN could have its replacement for Doc Rivers in-house after all.

In the latest edition of his newsletter, media reporter Andrew Marchand of the New York Post revealed that the sports network could bump JJ Redick up to its lead NBA broadcast team alongside play-by-play announcer Mike Breen and color commentator/analyst Doris Burke. 

Redick currently works on ESPN's "B" team with Ryan Ruocco and Richard Jefferson, another recent former NBA player. The network would make the change after the upcoming All-Star break in February.

Redick, who joined ESPN and ABC in 2021 after a 15-year career in the league, has been seen as one of the bright newer player-turned-analysts because of his desire to blend deeper analytics with his knowledge of the current crop of players who were his peers just a short time ago.

On Jan. 24, Michael McCarthy of Front Office Sports reported that ESPN was likely to keep the two-person team of Breen and Burke at least for the time being. 

With Rivers returning to the sidelines as the new coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, he only worked less than a half-season with the duo. It wouldn't have been a dramatic adjustment since both Breen and Burke have spent most of their careers on the mic in two-person teams. Yet ESPN/ABC appears to still be married to having two analysts alongside Breen for their marquee telecasts.

Burke was formerly part of the "B" team with Mark Jones and her work had long been lauded for strong analysis. The "B" team wasn't as personality-driven as the top squad of Breen, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson. Ruocco, Redick and Jefferson are seen as a trio that could call marquee games in the future, but it appears that Redick could have the first crack at calling the NBA Finals.