The Importance of role players
(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)
In a league full of talent everyone can’t be superstars and in a game of fatigue your star player cannot play every second.
Players are needed around stars that can complement their game on both ends of the floor, these role players are just as important to team success as the best player. Few top heavy teams have successfully made deep playoff pushes being carried by one player.
There are different types of role players, some like Joe Ingles and Joe Harris are expected to help their team offensively by being a deadeye 3-point shooter that keeps the defense honest. JJ Redick had a long career playing on contending teams in a 3-and-D role that has become extremely sought after in the modern NBA. Defensive players like P. J. Tucker and Jae Crowder have enjoyed playoff runs with multiple teams being 3-and-D players guarding forwards and rebounding while setting screens and shooting spot up 3-point attempts. The list goes on and on for the multiple types of players who are playing valuable minutes as a role player for any given NBA team.
Athletes like Lou Williams and Jamal Crawford have earned millions of dollars and played long careers while being role players. Chasing stats and personal achievements rather than winning is what makes the difference between bench players and role players.
Teams recruit role players based on their current needs which makes each role player specifically valuable to a team's offensive and defensive game plan. Great role players can expect to earn between 10-18 million dollars a season.
During a basketball game a team has many objectives that if they achieve they believe they can win the game. Things such as limiting their opponent to a certain amount of points per quarter and winning the rebound battle are common goals, but each team has a specific game plan for every team they will face that season. Typically teams will rely on their role players to perform hustle tasks like guarding scorers, getting rebounds and in some cases facilitating the offense.
Countless championship teams have relied on their role players to produce sometimes more than their stars. Andre Iguodala won a finals MVP because of the defense he played on LeBron James while being a role player for the Golden State Warriors. Certain role players that have proved their consistency can find themselves playing for contending teams and in turn become multiple time NBA champions.
Players like Steve Kerr (5), Danny Green (3) and JaVale McGee (3) have had long careers in the NBA winning championships on more than one team. Multiple teams have been saved in the playoffs by one of their role players, the most notable instance of this is Ray Allen’s game 6 game-tying shot with the Miami Heat back in 2013.
Most playoff rotations include at least eight players and typically only 2 or 3 of those players would be considered stars. This is where it becomes even more important for role players to stay in character and continue to produce for their team. These players often make the difference between a finals appearance and second round exit for contending teams. Although some of their stats don't pop off the sheet or have hours worth of flashy highlights role players will continue to impact the game.
It’s unreasonable to expect one or two players to win you a game, even the greatest superstars need their teammates. Without team effort from everyone in the rotation it becomes increasingly harder to win games in the NBA. This fact is why many teams that were not full of household names have won championships.
