Matt Logue opinion: It’s time for Patty Mills to leave the Boomers

There is talk Patty Mills is considering playing on for the Boomers but that would be a mistake. It’s time to pass the baton to the next generation so they can flourish in LA and Brisbane, writes Matt Logue.

There is talk Patty Mills is considering playing on for the Boomers.

I’m sorry Patty, it’s time to pass the baton to the next generation so they can flourish in Los Angeles and Brisbane.

Mills will go down as one of the greatest Boomers ever.

A five-time Olympian, the fifth all-time FIBA scorer and the man who hand delivered Australia’s historic bronze medal in Tokyo with a remarkable 42-point performance to sink Slovenia.

Mills has helped to put the Boomers on the international hoops map and he’ll leave behind an almighty legacy, but even the greats have a shelf life.

Patty Mills celebrates with his bronze medal during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Photo: Getty Images

The veteran guard turns 36 on Sunday, meaning he would be 38 at the 2026 World Cup in Berlin and approaching 40 at the 2028 LA Games.

As fit and effective as Mills is for his age, which he has showed in Paris, he can’t hold on forever.

It’s time for the Boomers to rip the Band-Aid off and move on from Mills to allow Australia’s next gen stars led by Josh Giddey to take full ownership of the team.

Departing coach Brian Goorjian has already passed the baton to Giddey when he proclaimed prior to last year’s World Cup that the national team was “Josh’s side”.

“We’re going to put the ball in his hands,” Goorjian said at the time.

Goorjian’s declaration about Giddey created an undercurrent of tension between the NBA youngster and Mills about who was leading the ship.

Patty Mills is almost 36 and it’s time you passed the baton to the next generation. Picture: Getty Images

The strain never bubbled to the public’s surface, but it played a role during Australia’s failed World Cup campaign in Japan in 2023.

The Boomers’ bombed out to finish in 10th as behind the scenes the battle for control of the team between Mills and Giddey played out.

Prior to the Paris Olympics, Goorjian told News Corp Australia that he had resolved a “power shift” between the young and the old.

“There was some stuff there (with the new and old players) and it has been addressed,” he said.

“We’ve come out of there and we’re working on it.

“It’s basketball and at the World Cup we introduced seven new guys.”

Mills and Giddey attempted to coexist throughout the Paris Olympic campaign.

There had been calls that the pair couldn’t be on the court at the same time, especially defensively, but they came out in the opener against Spain and temporarily silenced the critics.

Mills and Giddey combined for 36 points in a big win over Spain, but the cracks started to appear as the campaign progressed.

It first came to the fore after Australia were outclassed against Canada, prompting Goorjian to blame “hero ball” for the loss.

The Boomers had too many iso possessions down the stretch where Mills and Giddey were both guilty of trying to win the game themselves.

This selfish play goes against Goorjian’s game plan that relies on ball movement to find the open man.

Patty Mills will go down as a Boomers legend. Picture: Getty Images

Australia survived another loss against Greece in the group stage to progress to the quarter-finals, but the real acid test was yet to come.

The Boomers had Serbia on the ropes, leading by 24 points in the first half, before blowing the biggest lead in Olympic history to lose a heartbreaker.

Mills dropped a remarkable jump shot with 1.4 seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, but he over played his hand down the stretch in OT as Serbia surged to a miracle win.

The veteran was desperate to be the man in the big moment, which is understandable given he is Australia’s premier scoring threat.

Coach Goorjian admitted as much post-game, but the Boomers needed to play selfless first-pass team basketball to beat the Serbians.

Instead, ‘hero ball’ ruled again while the offence was stagnant leading to turnovers and opening the door for Serbia to claim a historic win.

Josh Giddey during the men’s final against Serbia. Picture: Getty Images.

You can understand Mills wanting to be the man, but for the Boomers to truly thrive Giddey also needs to be involved in those moments.

So what does the future hold if Mills does retire from the international stage?

The boy from Canberra is clearly Australia’s best shooter, prompting some experts and fans to suggest he is our only option and should continue playing.

But the team needs a change for the benefit of Giddey’s growth as the Boomers’ future leader, primary ball handler and a guy whose shooting is improving.

If Mills isn’t there who comes in as our shooters? Australia could look to blood 19-year-old sharpshooter Johnny Furphy at the 2026 World Cup.

Furphy is still young, but the kid can shoot and he’ll only get better under the bright lights of the NBA at the Indiana Pacers.

He set the NCAA alight for Kansas last season, averaging nine points on 46.6 per cent shooting from the field.

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Furphy recently impressed for the Pacers in his NBA Summer League debut across four games, with 14 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.8 steals.

Sydney-born guard Tyrese Proctor is another option. The 20-year-old has impressed playing college hoops for Duke.

Proctor averaged 10.5 points on 42.3 per cent shooting from the field for the Red Devils last season.

He opted to forgo this year’s NBA draft to return to Duke for his third season.

Proctor has impressed on the FIBA stage for the Boomers, making his debut in an Asia qualifier in 2022 as a 16-year-old.

He has played a handful of games for Australia, including an influential role in the Boomers’ run to a gold medal at the 2022 Asia Cup.

The Aussies have young sharpshooters ready to replace Mills and take the program forward, they just need their chance to shine.

Originally published as Matt Logue opinion: It’s time for Patty Mills to leave the Boomers