What we discovered from the Olympics: LeBron and Steph have juice, Jamal Murray might not and extra

Bon travail, Paris. You probably did it. Hats off to maybe probably the most memorable Olympic basketball event (and Olympic Video games) ever.

The U.S. males’s basketball group wanted all it may muster from its growing older (or ought to we are saying ageless?) superheroes, and primarily based on the state of their NBA groups, one can pretty surprise if that’s the final time any of Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Kevin Durant play on this huge a second once more. In that case, man, did they exit with a bang.

How about this stat, courtesy of Warriors PR maven Raymond Ridder: Curry had solely made 4 3-pointers within the ultimate 2:47 of a sport as soon as in 1,103 NBA video games. Saturday’s gold-medal sport was half deux.

STEPH WAS ICE COLD DOWN THE STRETCH. 🥶

4 three-pointers in TWO MINUTES AND 11 SECONDS to shut out France for the gold medal. 🥇 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/2dR7UUE0Hn

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024

However now, we transfer on. It’s going to be a giant transition for USA Basketball to the following cycle, when Durant, James and Curry are prone to be too outdated to be of a lot assist. The narrative that the world is catching up is maybe just a little overdone — for one, a lot of the catching up occurred a technology earlier (the U.S. beat Lithuania by simply two factors within the Olympic semis in 2000). For the reason that 2004 debacle in Athens, the U.S. is 35-1 within the final 5 Olympiads.

Nonetheless, the single-elimination format and 40-minute video games make for some unbelievable drama and don’t essentially assure the perfect or most proficient group wins. Spain (2012, 2016) and France (2021 and 2024) have made for worthy adversaries on this format, and Serbia practically shocked the world within the semifinals. Whomever the U.S. selects to play in 2028 should earn their medal; France, particularly, appears to be like set to have a golden technology very similar to that of the Argentinian group that gained gold in 2004.

Everyone seems to be speaking concerning the U.S. vs. France within the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, however the subsequent main worldwide competitors is the 2027 FIBA World Cup in Qatar. The U.S. owns the Olympics however usually has despatched weaker groups to that occasion; the People completed fourth and seventh within the final two World Cups and have solely gained two of the seven Cups held since 1994.

Ideally, the U.S. might be making an attempt to construct a roster for each cycles, however it might show tough to take action in back-to-back summers, particularly with a number of possible picks additionally making deep playoff runs. Our neighbo(u)rs to the north might be making an attempt to do the identical factor with their NBA expertise, as will the NBA-heavy sides from Australia and France.

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That’s all the way in which sooner or later, although. For proper now, we now have an NBA season across the nook, which takes us again to the just-concluded event and its connection to the 2024-25 marketing campaign. What can we take away from these previous three weeks that has actual implications for the approaching season? Let’s check out 10 huge takeaways:

No accidents

After I was on the group aspect, we at all times freaked out about gamers getting harm enjoying for his or her nationwide groups. The truth is there’s little correlation between nationwide group minutes and efficiency declines the next season, and gamers have loads of alternative to injure themselves coaching for the season, no matter whether or not they play within the Olympics.

That stated … we made it, everybody. No NBA stars have been harmed within the making of those Olympics.

The one notable illness was the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, who left Japan’s second sport with a “left calf harm” that one hopes might be healed by the point camp begins in early October.

Outdated guys aren’t finished but

Talking of the Lakers, for those who’re a fan of them, the Phoenix Suns or the Golden State Warriors, the Olympics needed to depart you feeling so much higher about your group’s prospects than you probably did in April. These three squads mixed to win one playoff sport this previous season, and with their key gamers hitting their late 30s, one can pretty surprise about their respective futures.

Nevertheless, James, Curry and Durant have been Group USA’s three most necessary gamers within the medal spherical, James’ teammate Anthony Davis was the group’s only huge man, and Durant’s sidekick Devin Booker was quietly superior in his revamped 3-and-D position.

The Suns have already got pushed all their chips in, after all, however the Lakers and Warriors have held again a few of their powder. Would possibly these Olympic performances encourage them to go for it one final time whereas the likes of James and Curry nonetheless are able to elite performances?

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Yabusele makes his mark

Of all of the non-NBA gamers within the event, the one who made the most important impression was French ahead Guerschon Yabusele. The 6-foot-8, 275-pound-ish Boston Celtics first-round decide has improved significantly since washing out of the NBA after two years, placing collectively a robust three-year stretch for Actual Madrid after which making his mark in France … together with a dunk over James within the gold medal sport.

GUERSCHON YABUSELE ON LEBRON JAMES. 😳

📺 NBC and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/cjrH6Q9Epd

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024

“Oh, he’s an NBA participant,” an abroad scout instructed me. But when Yabusele makes the transfer, don’t anticipate it to be this yr. A league supply confirmed a latest report from NBA reporter Marc Stein that Yabusele has a $2.5 million buyout to depart Madrid this summer time, which an NBA group could be on the hook for (and would depend towards the cap above the $750,000 worldwide buyout most) along with no matter wage he agreed to.

Nevertheless, he’s a free agent within the 2025 offseason. Yabusele’s capturing has improved markedly and he’s slimmed down a bit since Boston, each of which make him a extra enticing proposition as a stretch 4 than he was as a Celtic. His defensive consciousness was by no means a energy, however he’s pretty switchable alongside the perimeter if he’s in form. Offensively, he’s hit 44.5 p.c, 36.1 p.c and 40.2 p.c from 3 the final three seasons whereas enjoying on the highest ranges of European basketball and clearly can hammer a mismatch on the block towards switches.

For his half, Yabusele appears able to make the transfer.

Been ready for a 2nd probability.. I’m prepared 😤🧸

— Guerschon Yabusele (@yabusele28) August 11, 2024

In a disappointing Olympics for Canada, the most important particular person battle belonged to Murray, the Denver Nuggets guard who battled accidents for a lot of the second half of final season. Murray’s stats for the event are troubling sufficient — 36.6 p.c true capturing and a 4.7 PER — however that possibly may very well be dismissed as a small four-game pattern.

Nevertheless, Murray didn’t play any higher within the exhibitions, and the attention check was troubling. He had no zip, struggling to get separation and failing to blow up close to the cup within the method to which we’ve turn out to be accustomed. This approaching the heels of a postseason by which he shot simply 40.2 p.c solely provides to the troubles. Murray has seven weeks to heal up earlier than coaching camp begins, however his bodily state figures to be a giant story within the early a part of the season.

There’s one other issue at play earlier than the season begins: Murray and the Nuggets appeared en route to agreeing to a four-year, $209 million max contract extension earlier this summer time, however Murray has not signed on the dotted line but. Would possibly the Nuggets be rethinking the knowledge of that dedication?

Bam Ad3bayo?

One other story that will quietly matter for the approaching season is Bam Adebayo’s rising consolation from the 3-point line. Pressed into service as a backup 4 at occasions, the Miami Warmth star launched 9 3-point makes an attempt in his 97 Olympic minutes, principally catch-and-shoots from the nook.

That continues a pattern line from late final season: Adebayo solely had 14 3-point makes an attempt in his first 54 video games of the 2023-24 season however launched 38 in his ultimate 22 video games, together with the playoffs. He made them at a decent 35.7 p.c clip final season. If he can proceed at that fee, it might add one other dimension to a sport that had maybe turn out to be too reliant on midrange jumpers.

Giddey as a number one man

Chicago Bulls followers received their first take a look at the full-time on-ball model of Josh Giddey, as he ran the purpose for Australia through the Boomers’ up-and-down event. Australia led Serbia by 24 factors within the quarterfinals earlier than the sport boomeranged (sorry) into an time beyond regulation loss; the Aussies additionally misplaced to Canada and Greece regardless of having a deep sufficient roster that they minimize the Portland Path Blazers’ Matisse Thybulle and deep-sixed Charlotte’s Josh Inexperienced from the rotation (zero factors in Paris).

Definitely Giddey would have benefited from extra spacing on the ground; one motive Australia didn’t want Thybulle and Inexperienced was that it already had D-and-notsomuch3 guys akin to Dyson Daniels and Dante Exum. Nevertheless, the Aussies may have actually used the Patty Mills and Joe Ingles from 5 years in the past to assist open the lane for him. That possible contributed to Giddey’s whopping turnover complete (20 in 4 video games), which was the most important adverse in an in any other case strong efficiency.

Giddey did, considerably surprisingly, make 11 3-pointers in his 4 video games and shot 50 p.c from the ground whereas carrying an enormous 30 p.c utilization fee. He’ll want to enhance his decision-making to turn out to be a very threatening point-of-attack choice, however he’ll even have extra capturing round him in Chicago.

Houston’s new two-way

Australian ahead Jack McVeigh will be a part of the Houston Rockets on a two-way deal, signing simply earlier than the Olympics began. Hardcore Cornhuskers may keep in mind him from his three years at Nebraska, however he’s turn out to be a way more potent shooter since then, hitting 42.0 p.c and 43.4 p.c from 3 the previous two seasons in Australia’s Nationwide Basketball League.

The 28-year-old McVeigh additionally has a skinny body and could also be a bit undersized for an NBA 4 at 6-8, 215 kilos. He crammed his position on the Olympics, making 10 of 19 from 3 in 75 minutes for a shooting-starved Australia group, however him not beginning forward of abroad journeyman Nick Kay hints at a few of the defensive limitations he may even see on the subsequent degree.

A Barrett breakout?

Did anybody south of the border monitor what RJ Barrett did in his 32 video games as a Toronto Raptor final season? In case you didn’t, test it out: Barrett averaged 21.8 factors and 6.4 rebounds, shot 60.5 p.c on 2s and 39.2 p.c on 3s and posted a 17.8 PER. After 4 and a half years of being a meh-efficiency man barreling to the basket, he was immediately legitimately good.

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That additionally performed out with Group Canada. Barrett was fourth in scoring in your entire Olympic event at 19.8 factors per sport. His 58/44/84 capturing splits added as much as 70.1 p.c true capturing, and he additionally averaged practically two assists for each turnover. He was unquestionably one of many 10 greatest gamers within the event, and solely Canada’s quarterfinal loss stored him off the All-Event group.

Provided that Barrett is simply 24 and may have a ready-made high-usage position ready for him on a quasi-rebuilding Raptors group, the Olympics solely underscored what the second half of final season foretold: Barrett looks as if a reasonably distinguished breakout candidate for the 2024-25 season.

Hope for Micić?

Whereas Inexperienced’s play for Australia won’t have been terribly inspiring for Hornets followers, the efficiency of Vasilije Micić was encouraging. He was miscast in Oklahoma Metropolis, the place the encircling expertise pressured him to play off the ball an excessive amount of, however when he can run a group and play with the ball in his fingers, he could make extra of an impression.

The 30-year-old guard confirmed flashes of that in his 30 video games with the Hornets on the finish of final season, however take into account that abroad gamers typically want a yr to get their sea legs earlier than flourishing of their second season. With a backup level guard position seemingly ready for him when he will get to Charlotte, his encouraging play as a flooring common for Serbia — he had 14 factors and 6 dimes within the time beyond regulation comeback win over Australia and 19 factors in 20 minutes within the bronze medal sport — supply encouragement.

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That also might not justify his $7.7 million wage — Micić nonetheless struggles on protection, and his exterior capturing comes and goes — however on a Charlotte squad whose solely different dependable initiator is the injury-prone LaMelo Ball, his event was a constructive signal.

Potential items

A number of different guys marked themselves as gamers whom scouts will watch extra carefully this coming season, or circle again on through movie for a possible addition later this summer time:

• Except for Yabusele, if there was one former NBA participant who made a case to get again within the league on this event, it was Canada’s Khem Birch. Initially added to the roster as one thing of an afterthought on a group with 10 NBA gamers, he ended up being the Canadians’ only huge man. Birch turns 32 in September and solely performed 12 video games final season (for Spanish squad Girona), however primarily based on his play within the Olympics (and the tune-up video games), groups needing a 3rd heart needs to be calling.
• The New York Knicks personal the rights to Mathias Lessort, the athletic French ahead who had a strong event and is signed with Greece’s Panathinaikos for the approaching season. Lessort can’t shoot, nonetheless, and at 6-9 is undersized to play the center on the NBA degree. He turns 29 in September and may very well be a last-resort choice for New York subsequent offseason if the Knicks can’t fill their backup heart gap.
• The Atlanta Hawks drafted Isaïa Cordinier in 2016, however he’s a free agent for NBA functions after the Brooklyn Nets opted to not tender him in 2021. He had a middling yr in Italy this previous season however broke out with 43 complete factors within the quarterfinals and semifinals towards Canada and Germany; he ended up main the French group in PER for the event. He’s signed for the approaching season with Virtus Bologna.
• Serbian defensive pest Aleksa Avramović — the defensive participant of the event after nabbing 10 steals in simply 119 minutes — simply signed a brand new cope with CSKA Moscow and will not be offensively gifted sufficient to be greater than a bit participant within the NBA. He’s additionally making sufficient cash {that a} two-way deal wouldn’t make monetary sense. At 29, he’s a bit lengthy within the tooth for an import, however scouts might be monitoring him.
• France’s Matthew Strazel fell out of the rotation within the medal spherical, however the 23-year-old Monaco guard can have eyes on him after he went undrafted in June, particularly if he’s open to serving on a two-way in 2025-26. Strazel is simply 6-0, and his capturing runs cold and hot, however his protection and quickness may permit him to turn out to be a backup-caliber level guard if he can hold upgrading his ability degree.
• Germany received a robust event from ahead Isaac Bonga, who performed for Bayern Munich final season and is at present unsigned. Bonga performed within the NBA for the Lakers, Wizards and Raptors. His lack of offensive punch in the end shoved him out of the league, however he’s solely 24. The 6-8 ahead nonetheless has a pathway again as a 3-and-D man, even when it’s a pair years down the street, if he can shoot as persistently as he did in Paris (14 of 24 in six video games).
• South Sudan guard Carlik Jones signed with Partizan Belgrade in Serbia for the approaching season; he’s undersized at 6-0, however the former G League MVP’s capacity to create photographs may see him fill a second-unit creator position on the NBA degree. In eight video games for South Sudan during the last two summers, he averaged 19.5 factors and 9.4 assists on respectable 47/37/79 capturing splits; he additionally had a triple-double towards the U.S. in an exhibition sport South Sudan misplaced by a degree.

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(Prime photograph of Jamal Murray: Gregory Shamus / Getty Photos)