If LeBron was playing in the Olympics

[cuse62]

Isn't this team undefeated?

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah I hear what your saying, but that means taking Durant and Melo out.

I think Green should get more minutes. True centers are a waste in the Olympics IMO. They really don't provide much if they are not skilled. Green could help there./QUOTE]

Agreed on Green, as I said earlier, he's probably their best passer, and he's been glued to the bencg.

If Leonard was on the roster, (ready for the can of worms this is going to open) I'd be playing him over Melo anyway. But you can also get creative with lineups, you can fit all 3 of those guys on the court I think.

 

[Briancuse]

Isn't this team undefeated?

Usa isn't the only country playing good basketball, there are alot of countries out there with good players, these countries are starting to catch up with us.

 

[br801]

Usa isn't the only country playing good basketball, there are alot of countries out there with good players, these countries are starting to catch up with us.

While that's true, this isn't exactly the USA's best, or best constructed team. Damn good thing Melo is there to provide leadership, experience and intensity, because as one of you guys noted the other day, Durant is playing like he is shaving points. I still think they will come together and all will turn out right.

 

[stuckinbig11]

need Curry

 

[OGBJ20]

There are at least 6 players that chose not to play that would make this team dominant and they are: LBJ, Westbrook, harden, curry, Davis and Leonard. Replacing Barnes, green, derozan, Lowry, butler and cousins.

 

[Eric15]

Any Olympic team with Harrison Barnes on the 12-man roster isn't that great.

Barnes is an excellent player, his stats simply don't reflect that since the Warriors are so insanely talented. Look for him to have a coming out party scoring wise in Dallas next year similar to Harden after he left OKC.

 

[skurey]

Better question. If you put LeBron on another team do they beat the US? What's the worst country he could be added to where they would still win?

 

[PoppyHart]

Better question. If you put LeBron on another team do they beat the US? What's the worst country he could be added to where they would still win?

If you put him on any team but China, Venezuela, Croatia or Nigeria and they win silver at worst.

 

[SoBeCuse]

Barnes is an excellent player, his stats simply don't reflect that since the Warriors are so insanely talented. Look for him to have a coming out party scoring wise in Dallas next year similar to Harden after he left OKC.

I just can't see that happening and I always agree with most of your takes. I'll be glad to come back to you and eat crow if/when that happens. I don't think athletically and shooting-wise he's good enough. Not enough moves offensively, either. We'll see.

 

[Dmcnabbrules]

There are at least 6 players that chose not to play that would make this team dominant and they are: LBJ, Westbrook, harden, curry, Davis and Leonard. Replacing Barnes, green, derozan, Lowry, butler and cousins.

Davis would make an enormous difference. He is a perfect center for international ball.

 

[OrangeDW]

I just can't see that happening and I always agree with most of your takes. I'll be glad to come back to you and eat crow if/when that happens. I don't think athletically and shooting-wise he's good enough. Not enough moves offensively, either. We'll see.

Yeah, I don't see it either. He's always seemed a bit stiff/mechanical to me as far as going off the dribble. I can see 16-18 PPG out of him, but not Harden in Houston stuff.

 

[Cusefannotindc]

I may not be Coach K, but I have a hard time seeing a Draymond-KD-Melo-Klay-Kyrie lineup not being absolutely dominant.

 

[Newhouser]

Better question. If you put LeBron on another team do they beat the US? What's the worst country he could be added to where they would still win?

That is a much better question. I think if LeBron is on the USA this time around the D and ball movement would have been better as he would have demanded it. LeBron on the best competitor is an interesting game.

 

[Knicks411]

Barnes is an excellent player, his stats simply don't reflect that since the Warriors are so insanely talented. Look for him to have a coming out party scoring wise in Dallas next year similar to Harden after he left OKC.

I don't see this one at all. Harden had great numbers in OKC, he just didn't get the minutes and the touches, he had a true shooting over 60% his second and third year in OKC. Harrison Barnes played on one of the best offensive teams in the history of basketball and had a true shooting just below 56%; that's fine but when you consider the looks he got last year and the looks he'll get next year, I'll be surprised if he's much over 53% or so.

I'm sure he will score more points next year, but I'd be stunned if he's anything like James Harden, who is legitimately one of the best offensive players in the league.

 

[billsin01]

I don't see this one at all. Harden had great numbers in OKC, he just didn't get the minutes and the touches, he had a true shooting over 60% his second and third year in OKC. Harrison Barnes played on one of the best offensive teams in the history of basketball and had a true shooting just below 56%; that's fine but when you consider the looks he got last year and the looks he'll get next year, I'll be surprised if he's much over 53% or so.

I'm sure he will score more points next year, but I'd be stunned if he's anything like James Harden, who is legitimately one of the best offensive players in the league.

Yeah, I'm in this boat as well. Anyone who has some offensive skill is going to look good playing on that team. If anything I'd argue he benefited (not in terms of overall numbers, but in efficiency) from being there. I don't watch much NBA but I'd be pretty surprised if Barnes emerged as a huge star there after watching him in college and in the playoffs last year. Absolutely a nice player but I don't see Harden-type scoring.

 

[billsin01]

Seems like dudes go by Kyrie left and right.

I wonder if these guys struggle a little with getting up for these games. I'm not trying to use that as an excuse and perhaps it's more roster construction, etc., but at least in the preliminary round they're playing in a big, not terribly full or raucus arena with a strange-looking ball against teams they're supposed to beat by 40. I mean they all say the right things and I would imagine they'd get fired up for elimination games, but I wonder if, after a long NBA season, it's tough to be fully engaged and going 100% from the tip in these games. I know I find my interest waning watching them.

 

[Knicks411]

Yeah, I'm in this boat as well. Anyone who has some offensive skill is going to look good playing on that team. If anything I'd argue he benefited (not in terms of overall numbers, but in efficiency) from being there. I don't watch much NBA but I'd be pretty surprised if Barnes emerged as a huge star there after watching him in college and in the playoffs last year. Absolutely a nice player but I don't see Harden-type scoring.

I definitely think he benefited more than he was hurt.

He's also a terrible passer; he averaged 2 assists per 36 minutes. (Which was a career high!) I get that he didn't have the ball in his hands a ton, but you'd think just kicking the ball out to Steph and Klay for jumpers would get you some assists.

 

[Eric15]

I don't see this one at all. Harden had great numbers in OKC, he just didn't get the minutes and the touches, he had a true shooting over 60% his second and third year in OKC. Harrison Barnes played on one of the best offensive teams in the history of basketball and had a true shooting just below 56%; that's fine but when you consider the looks he got last year and the looks he'll get next year, I'll be surprised if he's much over 53% or so.

I'm sure he will score more points next year, but I'd be stunned if he's anything like James Harden, who is legitimately one of the best offensive players in the league.

I should have been more specific. I don't think he will be a top scorer in the league like Harden. But I do think Barnes will go from averaging 10-12 ppg to around 19-20 ppg. Harden is simply a guy that popped in my head as someone making a big jump once he became a featured player.

In short, I think Barnes is completely worthy of being on this team.

 

[Knicks411]

I should have been more specific. I don't think he will be a top scorer in the league like Harden. But I do think Barnes will go from averaging 10-12 ppg to around 19-20 ppg. Harden is simply a guy that popped in my head as someone making a big jump once he became a featured player.

In short, I think Barnes is completely worthy of being on this team.

He might score 20 per game just because he's going to be getting a lot of shots, but I don't think he's very good. I think he is easily the worst player on the team.

I was curious, there were about 25 guys who averaged 19 or more per game last year. Those obviously aren't the 25 best players in the league or anything, just saying. Khris Middleton was tied for 28th in scoring lats year, 18.2 per game. I think he should have made the team over Barnes.

 

[pearl31]

I don't know about any of that other stuff, but Boogie has been mostly turrble from what I've seen. Slow, out of position, and constantly pouting - not sure who should have been selected in his place, but that dude shouldn't be on the olympic team

 

[igor]

he'd be welcome; hed be the second or third best player. melo is clearly number one

 

[HOFCeluck]

he'd be welcome; hed be the second or third best player. melo is clearly number one

King stay the king.

 

[CusefanATL]

Doubtful. We are struggling more defensively than offensively. We had a weaker team than this in the World's two years ago and still beat this same France team by 30.

The issue is our guys don't play together as much as these other teams.

Is that really the case? How often does Tony Parker and Boris Diaw and Nicholas Batum play with those guys? Seems iffy.

When does Delly and Bogut really fly out to Austrailia for practice and games? Seems Iffier.

I must have missed all the threads about the practice time G was getting in Nigeria.

 

[Cusefan0307]

Is that really the case? How often does Tony Parker and Boris Diaw and Nicholas Batum play with those guys? Seems iffy.

When does Delly and Bogut really fly out to Austrailia for practice and games? Seems Iffier.

I must have missed all the threads about the practice time G was getting in Nigeria.

The Australia (same team) has been together for 14 years. Played together since they are kids.

Same thing with France. We shuffle guys in and out constantly. The team we have this year is different than the team we had 2 years ago in the worlds. That's what I mean when I say we don't have the same team. It's constant turnover.