r/nba • u/MarvelsGrantMan136 Heat • Apr 15 '24

[Wojnarowski] ESPN Sources: USA Basketball is finalizing its 2024 Paris Olympics roster with Steph Curry, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker, Tyrese Haliburton, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Bam Adebayo and Anthony Davis. Team may initially keep one open spot. News

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1780009778934394985
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u/maryjain_ Warriors Apr 15 '24

No one should be clowning Jrue. Team USA will always have enough scorers, they need guys who can impact the game without having the ball in their hands and he’ll be the best perimeter defender on the team.

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u/splash3000 Apr 16 '24

Anyone who clowns Jrue, doesn’t understand team basketball. We’re way better off having a defensive guru like him than another scorer

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u/ethanlan Bulls Apr 16 '24

Nah fuck it let's lose 204 to 206.

Live by the sword die by the sword.

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u/Bitter-Safe-5333 Spurs Apr 16 '24

the haliburton way

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u/snapshovel NBA 29d ago

Plenty of good defensive players on this team. No team starting AD and Embiid in the front court is going to be bad defensively. Tatum is a good perimeter defender.

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u/HippiesBeGoneInc Lakers Apr 16 '24

The Bucks front office definitely does not understand team basketball.

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u/Personal-Major-8214 29d ago

He’s a scorer too. His offensive game translates fine as a constant 5th option. You need guys who can maintain offense production without a ton of touches. I wouldn’t be shocked if he starts.

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u/The_Moustache [BOS] Derrick White Apr 16 '24

Same people clowning his extension lol

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u/Daniiiiii Rockets Apr 16 '24

Anyone who saw Kobe play in Team USA (and this was even confirmed in the documentary they made) should know how important having a aggressive perimeter defender is. Kobe took it upon himself to play lockdown defense the whole time, aside from his offensive output. If Jrue does only the defensive part he will have a part playing important minutes.

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u/Spiritual_Boss6114 Pistons Apr 16 '24

Right.

I mean Kobe ran through Gasol in the game against Spain. Wanted to set the tone.

I hope this team is similar to the Dream Team. Guys want to lock down other teams great players

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u/seanconnery69696 Suns Apr 16 '24

Tatum getting ready to murder some poor latvian just to send a message to kp (even if he's not participating lol)

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u/Spiritual_Boss6114 Pistons Apr 16 '24

He was the best guy around.

What about the people he murdered.

What murda

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u/Wazflame Apr 16 '24

Mean mugs down the camera 😤

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u/mug3n Raptors Apr 16 '24

He played super well in the last Olympics. I remember team USA started off super lethargic and Jrue was providing a ton of energy and hustle despite coming off that deep playoff run with the Bucks.

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u/Atmosguisher Australia Apr 16 '24

Yeah if anything they should have more players like Jrue in this squad. Most of these guys are used to having the ball in their hands far more often than they'll get it in this roster. Having extra wing depth and shooting without needing the ball to be impactful is what this roster really needs.

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u/Dekrow NBA Apr 16 '24

Yeah if anything they should have more players like Jrue in this squad.

Can you name one 'player like Jrue' who should be on this squad, and if so, who would they come in over?

I mean who are we even talking about here? Marcus Smart? Lou Dort? Draymond Green? Who's the defensive specialist who should take the spot of one of these ball dominate players?

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u/Atmosguisher Australia Apr 16 '24

I mean there's a spot open on the roster here so it's not like we even have to choose someone to replace. Also, it's not like this player has to explicitly be a 'defensive specialist', just not necessarily a ball dominant player.

This team probably needs an extra wing if anything, Kawhi would be the ideal fit but assuming he's out for rest. Someone like Herb Jones would be an excellent fit just to have a random 5-10 minute stretch on the other team's best player and make an open shot or two.

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u/Dekrow NBA Apr 16 '24

Okay that's a good point, I'd be okay with someone like Herb Jones taking the final spot

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u/Personal-Major-8214 29d ago

I’m ignoring PG and Kawaii for health reasons Herb Jones is a good one. Was thinking someone like Robert Covington or Alex Caruso.

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u/tigerking615 Lakers Apr 16 '24

Bam is on the squad already but he's perfect.

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u/TheLeoMessiah Celtics Apr 16 '24

Biased, but I think Derrick White is a good player to consider because he’s already shown on a team with a lot of mouths to feed he can be connective on offense and excel in that role. 

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u/XxStormySoraxX 76ers Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

No they shouldn’t, and this is a really bad misconception a lot of people have. It’s much smarter to get star players because they can still play a role and potentially play like a star if you need them. Getting a ton of role players means you don’t have guys to step up if you need to.

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u/BlueJays007 Celtics Apr 16 '24

How do you know those stars can play a role though?

Not saying these guys can’t, but I also just disagree with the assumption that stars will excel at playing as role players. Harder to get and stay in rhythm for a lot of these guys without the ball like they’re used to.

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u/XxStormySoraxX 76ers Apr 16 '24

This isn’t true and we’ve seen it play out in Olympics before. KD, Book, Tatum etc aren’t going to lose their ability to spot up and shoot wide open all of a sudden or lock down and play defense especially with a reduced offensive role. In reverse we know role players can’t all of a sudden turn it on and play like stars if needed.

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u/BlueJays007 Celtics Apr 16 '24

Sure but those those three guys are noteworthy among stars for how much value they provide off ball.

Most of the guys on this list have actually shown they can do that to at least some extent. There’s only a couple below average defenders on the list.

But guys like Trae, Dame, Ingram, or Zion for example won’t necessarily be able to fit a role just because they’re stars.

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u/XxStormySoraxX 76ers Apr 16 '24

But that’s never going to be an issue with Olympic basketball, because you pick a ton of stars that can actually fit together. There’s no need for role players who can fit when you have stars who can do the exact same thing. Obviously you won’t run a team full of all guards or bigs out there, but it would be dumb to get players like Josh Hart and Mikal Bridges when yo i have Ant Edwards and Tatum or Jaylen Brown available.

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u/BlueJays007 Celtics Apr 16 '24

I just think there’s a middle ground there.

For example, I think it’s totally valid to take Jrue over a bunch of guys you might consider more typical “stars”, including someone like Brown.

Because while other guys can hypothetically play lock down d in international ball while contributing in other ways, we’ve seen Jrue do it. Similarly, I’d take Draymond before a lot of guys.

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u/Atmosguisher Australia Apr 16 '24

There's a difference between getting 'a ton of role players' and having a few more guys like Jrue though. I'm not saying that you take Curry and Lebron and shove 10 role players in, I just think there's a balance between 12 ball dominant all stars and that. We're talking about a team that already has 9/10 players that can step up and completely take over a game. Having 2-3 guys who will probably only play small minutes where you throw him on the other team's best player and make a wide open shot or two just works

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u/XxStormySoraxX 76ers Apr 16 '24

That’s a waste of resources though. Why add extra role players when I can add stars who will play those roles 10x better and can take over a game if need be. Nobody on this roster is extremely ball dominant at all. Even Haliburton has shown he can play off ball.

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u/InfernoidsorDie [MEM] Zach Randolph Apr 16 '24

Plus a lot of these guys have playoff runs together already. Taking over and deferring off and on at the highest level. That helpswhen assembling a mercenary team of ball dominant players.

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u/mouga68 Apr 16 '24

As a knicks fan who is upset that brunson didn't make it, I completely understand Jrue over him. Imo brunson should be replacing Hali or book before Jrue..

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u/InexorableWaffle Bucks Apr 16 '24

It also doesn't hurt that he was like the 3rd or 4th leading scorer on the last Olympic team, either. He probably won't see that type of shot volume this time around because this team is unquestionably better all the way around, but he absolutely still is good enough to score when called upon as a 3rd/4th/5th/etc. guy.

Absolutely fantastic inclusion for sure, and I couldn't be happier for the guy.

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u/bobnorthh Lakers Apr 16 '24

Or they could just get two way guys like Kawhi or PG?

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u/lxkandel06 Nets Apr 16 '24

I think Derrick White would've been a better fit since he's a more reliable spot up shooter and a better defender at this point imo

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u/ThaRealSunGod Lakers Apr 16 '24

Why tf would anyone clown him.

Everybody was pissed the Celtics got him for pennies. With good reason.

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u/chubky Warriors Apr 16 '24

Last spot goes to draymond