By: Sam Meyerkopf / @euro_adventures
Face it. Olympiacos has been spoiled the last two years with point guard play. Maybe the best point guard combo going in Europe, Olympiacos frustrated other defenses with a mix of Milos Teodosic and Theo Papaloukas the past couple seasons. Shooting and size, young and old, a flair for the dramatic and loads of experience.
But Teodosic left for CSKA Moscow and Papaloukas for Maccabi Electra this offseason, leaving the Reds in a bit of a mess.
Olympiacos has used a variety of different options at the point from Vassilis Spanoulis, Martynas Gecevicius, Kalin Lucas and Dimitrios Katsivelis.
Spanoulis’s assist numbers aren’t bad (4.5 a game), but he’s got the biggest scoring itch out there and shouldn’t be the primary offensive facilitator.
Martynas Gecevicius is still developing his point skills and is best used as a perimeter shooter at the moment.
Former Michigan State grad and Big Ten POY Kalin Lucas was nicked up at the start of the season and hasn’t had much of a chance to fit into the rotation with only 27 minutes over three games. Katsivelis has been a nice spark of youthful energy so far but he’s too out of control and not seasoned enough to run the offense full time.
Now Olympiacos is 1-3, with walls closing in fast and a deep hole at the most important position on the floor. They’re the 21st ranked team in the Euroleague in assists, one spot above winless KK Zagreb.
Lazaros Papadopoulos has helped ease some of the passing burden by dishing out 2.8 assists of his own. A passing big is a nice weapon to have, but only slightly takes away the need for an upgrade at floor general.
So here are some possible additions Olympiacos might consider, some dreamier than others.
(Please bring Rubio. Pretty please. Thanks.)
Nemanja Nedovic, Crvena Zvezda
A Euroleague team scout told us earlier this year that Crvena Zvezda stud prospect Nemanja Nedovic was very disappointed in his playing time and usage this season and wanted a transfer. Nedovic has since seen his playing time go up, but ruffled feathers don’t always flatten back out and Nemanja might want his shot on Europe’s brightest stage. But would the 20-year-old Serb be ready?
Khalid El-Amin, Recovering from Injury
Does anyone else remember the heroics Khalid El-Amin displayed last year for Lietuvous Rytas? He came in mid season and had Rytas on the brink of making the playoffs. He tore up his quadriceps at the end of last year, but if his recovery is going well, El-Amin could be an option. And it’s not like he crossed up Marcelnho Huertas for a game winner last year or anything.
Ricky Rubio, Locked Out
Maybe this lockout things has legs, maybe it lasts the whole year, maybe that maybe is much closer to a probably and that probably might land Ricky Rubio in another European uniform. Right now Rubio is playing “high level pickup ball and training” in California, developing hopefully. But how much longer until his development realizes it needs to play in some real games?
Barcelona doesn’t really need him, and would Rubio come back just to be Huertas’s backup anyway? I’m not so sure. There’s a chance he wouldn’t want to leave Spain—he’s said so himself—but he also wouldn’t want to pass up a chance on a Euroleague squad. Rubio didn’t exactly set the world on fire last year, but he’s better than the other options on Olympiacos’ roster.
Kyrie Irving, Locked Out
BallinEurope’s Os Davis let us into the mind of #1 overall pick Kyrie Irving, who has the basketball bug and wants to play. Irving has international experience playing with Team USA and would be an upgrade over Lucas. The question is, with limited action last year with Duke University thanks to a foot injury, how much dust would Irving need to shake off?
Theo Papaloukas, Maccabi Electra
And lastly, I couldn’t really imagine Theo Papaloukas coming back to Olympiacos this season, but it’s not like Maccabi hasn’t tried to trade him out already.
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Cmon Sam. You don’t really believe this stiff, do you?
A) The Papaloukas story is preposterous. In Europe, the player’s contract is with the team and must agree to be traded. So let’s say that it’s true that Maccabi tried to get Roberts from Bamberg for Papaloukas (& it’s not), why would Theo agree to play for a team prating to reach the Top 16 after a decade straight of playing for teams gunning for the title.
B) Irving? Really? Have we learned nothing about handing the ball to young American point guards in Europe?
C) Nedovic who? No doubt he has talent, but is it worth brining in a young foreigner to supplant its own two young point guards – Sloukas and Katsivelis?
Of the most reasonable two suggestions. El-Amin, if 100%, could help. As could Rubio, who really should not be sitting at home and not playing.
Well hello there Mr. Euroleague. I don’t think Papaloukas is coming back to Olympiacos, and I agree Theo wouldn’t want to go back, but is that his decision to make? If he’s already been offered up, it’s not too crazy to think it might happen again.
Irving and Nedovic are both extremely talented and young. Could they jump in and change the team, no. But would they do a better job than the young guys running the team right now, I think so.
It’s too bad about El-Amin and it also pains me to know Rubio isn’t trying to jump on a team right now. He needs the reps.
Always great to hash it out with you Mr. EL, what would you do with the Olympiacos point guard situation?
I love this transatlantic debate taking place at 12-hour intervals…
First point – As I said before, I don’t believe the report that Maccabi tried to swap him out in the first place. So to me it sounds very crazy.
Second. Even if Irving could step in and play better than the Reds’ current guards (doubtful), the question is how much better? Let’s say he makes 3-4 plays per game that turn into baskets that don’t now – which would be a MASSIVE improvement – they would be cancelled out by the three traveling calls per game during the adjustment period. And it’s not just Irving. I would never, ever bring over an American point guard w/o European experience mid-season. Not Chris Paul, not Rajon Rondo, not Derrick Rose (okay, maybe Kidd – and Nash, but he’s Canadian)
Nedovic, all things considered, is not for me an upgrade over the current guards.
What would I do? I would trust in the legendary Dusan Ivkovic to work with the four guards you mentioned and expect to see some improvement every week.
Fair points Mr. Euroleague. Really the idea of this article was to throw out some possible names that would be realistic and just discuss the general problems at the point Olympiacos is having. I’m happy you joined in.
Will Olympiacos make a big splash? Probably not, but if they lose to SLUC Nancy this week at home, they’re in a very bad place.
I totally agree with your American point guard assessment. Was just thinking as talented as Irving is, if he signed soon, he could help out down the road this season.
Looks like we might have to trust Ivkovic. Kalin Lucas has played in high pressure games, been a leader before, but really needs some time to get used to European ball (as we both mentioned). If he can keep his head on straight, I think he’s the guy that could be running the 1, along side Spanoulis as the season progresses. Gecevicius will help more at off guard and Katsivelis is just too young.
Maybe Kostas Sloukas will finally get off the bench in Euroleague play, but he’s not producing that well in Greece either.
Good Luck Olympiacos Point Guards.
Spanoulis played point guard ALL LAST SEASON in Olympiacos. Teodosic played shooting guard and Papaloukas played small forward.
Please improve further articles.
Right on Mike, I should have talked a little more about Spanoulis’ contributions last season. He is a point guard, more of the scoring variety, but the point of the article is that he needs help beside him. We all know Vassilis can play.
Papadopoulos pitched in with 7 assists last night, really helping the offensive flow. Spanoulis also had 6 assists, but that came with 9 turnovers, he needs so help back there.
What guard do you except to step up Mike?