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FRANKLIN, Wis. — Michael Redd fills a specialist role for the U.S. Olympic team. His role with the Milwaukee Bucks is less certain.
Redd was named to the U.S. Olympic basketball team on Monday, and while he’ll be a 3-point sharpshooting guard for Team USA, his future in Milwaukee hinges on whether general manager John Hammond decides to keep the pricey player or rebuild without him.
“To say that we can’t be open to discuss anything would be unfair,” Hammond said. “Out of respect for Michael and who he’s been and what he’s been for this organization, he’s not a guy that we just flippantly throw his name out into discussions. We don’t do that.”
Redd, who has three years and a little more than $51 million left on his contract, was appropriately diplomatic about everything red, white and blue.
The gray areas? He wasn’t touching those.
“I understand the business. I understand that trades happen. I understand that things can happen. I can’t worry about that. I can’t control it,” said Redd, who spoke after the first day of his youth basketball camp. “Enjoy your time when you’re with the organization now and then if anything happens, just go from there.”
For now, “there” is Las Vegas, where he plans to head Friday to meet with national team officials. Redd said his role for the Olympic team won’t matter, suggesting if they won a gold medal he’d do cartwheels to celebrate.
“If I never play, I’m just going to be the biggest cheerleader on the bench,” Redd said. “I’m just happy to be on that team and to be part of that story. Obviously, when I get in there, I’m just going to do what I do — play basketball, have fun, shoot the basketball and hopefully a couple of them will go down.”
If they do, then USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo chose wisely to add Redd, who called playing year-round a grind that he couldn’t pass up.
“I can appreciate it because of the route I took to get here, being a second round pick, being a guy that nobody really expected that much from to now being an Olympian,” said Redd, who was the lowest draft pick of the players on the roster. “It’s special, man. It’s special. You’re representing the whole country, and this is a phenomenal year with the presidential race and everything going on.”
The political reference is fitting. Redd’s recent play is more like a vice presidential candidate than a leading role.
Once the unquestioned leader, Redd has been slowed by nagging injuries on a team that was much too selfish, going 26-56 and getting both its GM and coach fired.
Redd averaged 22.7 points a game last year, his worst mark since 2002-03 when he was a full-time starter for the first time. He also committed a career-high 2.5 turnovers per game.
Redd stayed positive in the locker room, but center Andrew Bogut, the No. 1 draft pick in 2005, became much more critical of the Bucks’ poor play.
Hammond has said no player is untouchable — including Redd — but did reach out to tell the team’s veteran star that he wasn’t looking specifically to deal him.
“Michael’s been great. Michael has been known as a consummate pro and the short time I’ve been here with him in this job he’s been that,” Hammond said. “We have to consider what’s best for our organization, for our team. There have been many, many great players traded at some point in their careers, some have gone on to be Hall of Fame players that have been traded.”
Redd said he appreciated Hammond’s honesty.
“It was great. It showed me a lot about how he is as a person, as a man, and the respect he had for me and my family to let us know,” Redd said. “It was awesome of him to call me and tell me that.”
In the meantime, the Bucks have two draft picks Thursday — No. 8 and No. 37 — and are looking for an impact player that new coach Scott Skiles can work with to complement forward Yi Jianlian, Bogut and Redd.
“I think the organization is going to make some moves that they think is necessary for the betterment of the team,” Redd said. “Me, myself, I’m just working hard and just training, getting ready for the Olympics.”
But will Redd be a part of a winner in Milwaukee after playing half a world away in Beijing?
“I don’t know. I really don’t know. I try not to worry about it,” Redd said. “I’ve seen good friends get traded and leave over the years and I’m not exempt from that happening. You enjoy the moment of being here in Milwaukee as long as you can and go from there.”
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