J.J. Redick talks about idea of being a starter next season

J.J. Redick accepted long ago that he’ll probably never start for the Orlando Magic.

And he’s fine with that.

“I would certainly like to start – every player would like to start – but I enjoy my role on the Magic and for me, any frustration that I’ve had in the last few years has been about not winning a championship,” Redick said Tuesday at his basketball camp in Orlando. “I’m not motivated to start; I’m motivated to win a championship.”

But with Jason Richardson entering unrestricted free agency and the Magic already possessing a huge payroll, it’s possible Redick could go into next season as the team’s starting two-guard. Brian Schmitz suggested the team is planning to go that way after drafting defensive specialist DeAndre Liggins in the second round.

It’d mark quite the ascension for Redick, who barely played during his first two seasons and asked for a trade in 2008 because of the lack of playing time. He’s improved markedly in the years since, and now he’s a vital role player for Orlando.

Could the next step be as a starter?

Redick insists that’s not his focus.

“I can control certain things, and that’s not one of the things I can control,” he said. “I do believe in certain situations, no matter how well you play, your role is not going to change. Once I accepted that as an NBA player, I was OK with coming off the bench.”