Los Angeles Clippers guard J.J. Redick would have been an ideal role player to help address some of Team USA’s issues at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics.
105-78. That’s the result for Team USA men’s basketball against Argentina on Wednesday. It wouldn’t even sound too impressive based on expectations for what is by far the most talented team in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics, highlighted by All-Star after All-Star. Yet, after a 10-point win over Australia and even shakier three-point wins over both Serbia and France, a 105-78 blowout win is exactly what the U.S. needed. Los Angeles Clippers center DeAndre Jordan started, too, and simple offensive star power and improved defensive bursts surged them to victory.
However, to turnaround and say that Team USA is absolutely fine now would still be flawed. Even after making the semifinals with such a performance, with 27 points and 7-of-9 three-point shooting from Kevin Durant to lead the way, the same problems that have pulled back the team’s play so far can’t be ignored.
Simple roster construction is the first issue.
Star players dropping out made matters difficult, of course. The Clippers’ own Chris Paul, who would easily be Team USA’s best passer and defensive point guard, opted out as he recovers from the broken hand he sustained in the playoffs.
Paul’s selfless skill set and two-way play is exactly what they lack right now as the likes of Kyrie Irving are attacked in pick-and-rolls, not to mention the fact that playmakers are limited while scorers are abundant left and right.
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LeBron James would have been the ideal glue guy to move the ball, hold the team together, and enforce consistent effort and defensive resilience, but this isn’t even all about star power. Team USA has that, but it’s not supported in nearly the right way.
DeMar DeRozan? Harrison Barnes? Carmelo Anthony? There are offensive-minded players everywhere (at least Olympic Melo is the best kind of Melo, though). And, as it was against Argentina, that talent level and shooting can be unbearable for others. Alternatively, though, scorers who are prompting defensive lapses at the other end of the floor and create isolation heavy possessions on offense can be blatantly detrimental.
What Team USA lacks is guys like Tayshaun Prince or Andre Iguodala, two former members of the team who won gold medals in 2008 and 2012, respectively.
They’ve both been renowned for their defense and how they play strictly within a team-first role, maintaining a level of balance and defensive intensity when bucket after bucket and isolation stars isn’t always the answer. Iguodala is a great passer as well, but role players who can operate off the ball, do the dirty work and lead defensively are needed.
Someone like the Clippers’ own J.J. Redick would have been ideal.
In fact, while nothing came to fruition with Redick as no more than the, “40th or 45th guy,” as he referred to himself on Bill Simmons’ “Any Given Wednesday”, he did receive a call from head coach Mike Krzyzewski about his interest in coming to Rio.
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While reliable team defense and effort can always be counted on from Redick, it’s obviously his shooting and off-ball movement that would be such a seamless addition to Team USA’s star-heavy offense.
A key factor in allowing Redick to average a near career-high of 16.3 points per game last season was that movement, running tirelessly in and out of off-ball screens, darting around the court to find space. Once he finds that space, runs off a screen or takes a high hand off from Blake Griffin, Redick can accurately release the ball in an instant. He caught fire and never relented in 2015-16, finishing the season as the league leader in three-point percentage at a major career-high of 47.5.
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More so than simply being a deadly shooter from deep and mid-range, more capable now of attacking closeouts when necessary , too, it’s being able to move so well without the ball that separates Redick from so many others. And with opposing defenses focused on Team USA’s stars and the Melos and Durants of the squad, space for Redick to offer his skill set would be plentiful.
Out of all players who made at least two catch-and-shoot field goals per game last season, Redick was the best, leading the NBA with an exceptional field goal percentage of 50.2 on such shots (per NBA.com). As for catch-and-shoot threes, he was second by the slightest of margins, sitting just 0.4 percent behind none other than Stephen Curry.
Who made up that list of 40 players ahead of Redick is unknown. Stars like Russell Westbrook, James Harden and LeBron who opted out, and others like Clippers stars Paul and Griffin who were dealing with injury, all prompted the selection of this “B” level team.
That doesn’t make up for ignoring complimentary role players who can support the necessary superstars, though.
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Team USA will likely still win the gold medal in Rio and they’re yet to lose. And it’s not that he’s the best player available or the absolute best role player for this group, but someone like J.J. Redick would have been far better suited to more consistency and offensive balance than another ball dominant star.