3 reasons why Tyrese Maxey should replace Jrue Holiday on Team USA Olympic roster
The Philadelphia 76ers' Tyrese Maxey was a first-time All-Star and was the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season. Despite playing his best season, the young guard is one of the more glaring omissions from Team USA's 12-man roster for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Team USA's backcourt for the upcoming Olympics features Steph Curry, Tyrese Haliburton, Devin Booker, Anthony Edwards and Jrue Holiday. Among these players, Holiday might seem like the most awkward fit.
Not because he's not talented enough but because he doesn't possess the same kind of star power his Team USA teammates do, which raises questions on whether Tyrese Maxey should replace him on the roster.
Of course, not being a star of the same caliber is not enough reason to remove Holiday from the team. So, here are a few more reasons why this move makes sense.
Three reasons why Tyrese Maxey should replace Jrue Holiday on Team USA
#1 Age is a factor
Aside from Jrue Holiday who will be 34 in June, Team USA has four other players above the age of 30. Those are Anthony Davis (31), Kawhi Leonard (32), Kevin Durant (35) and LeBron James (39).
One can argue that the team needs more youth, and Tyrese Maxey brings that, as he's only 23. Yes, Anthony Edwards (22) and Tyrese Haliburton (24) are quite young, but having more youth could help them play a faster-paced and more explosive offense.
Additionally, Maxey's youth could contribute to how ready he would be for the team's training and actual Olympics competition especially if both the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers go on deep playoff runs.
#2 He would earn valuable experience
Yes, playing in international competitions is different from playing in the NBA. However, being able to step on the court against the best players from other nations provides a valuable experience that can accelerate a player's growth.
Giving Tyrese Maxey that experience could benefit Team USA in more international competitions in the future. The team finished outside the top-3 and one reason for that was the lack of experience in international competitions.
If Maxey gains that experience now, he could become one of the leaders for Team USA in future international contests, especially considering that most of their international competition veterans won't be around to play for much longer.
Sure, Maxey played for Team USA in the Under-18 competition in 2018, but being in an international team playing with and against professionals is a different experience.
One can argue that Holiday has the necessary Olympic experience, having played with Team USA in 2021. However, with his age, will he be available four years from now or even in the next FIBA World Cup when the team could benefit from someone experienced in these types of contests?
#3 Maxey is familiar with Joel Embiid's game
Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey have been playing together since 2020. It means that the two have valuable chemistry that could aid Team USA in their hunt for a gold-medal finish in the Paris Olympics.
Yes, Jrue Holiday and Jayson Tatum are also teammates but have not played together as long as Embiid and Maxey, as the 2023-24 season is their first one together.
With the Olympics set to begin in July, coach Steve Kerr will not have long to get this team to gel together as one unit. Having guys who have played together for a longer period can help accelerate that process.
This is in no way taking a dig at Holiday's abilities. He's a capable point guard whose grit and tough defense benefits Team USA especially when they play against physical teams. However, there are some merits to replacing him with a younger guard like Tyrese Maxey.