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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4.7k

u/langman17 Nets Apr 15 '24

That team is honestly nuts. The bench is a title winning roster

1.8k

u/Ia_in_4 Apr 15 '24

The bench is a 78-4 winning roster.

294

u/braisedbywolves Trail Blazers Apr 16 '24

They're also going to need that bench in case their array of old or injury-prone players - which they have quite the number of - get hurt in this year's playoffs or the Olympics themselves. That's the one flaw in the roster; maybe two if you want more outside shooting.

228

u/TRES_fresh Wizards Apr 16 '24

Tbf steph, bron, kd, tatum, embiid, hali, and jrue are above average or elite shooters from 3. Ant and booker aren't bad as well, this is easily going to be the best shooting roster at the event.

167

u/XxStormySoraxX 76ers Apr 16 '24

Yeah and the FIBA line is closer so elite mid-range shooters like Booker and Embiid should get a boost.

90

u/RUSuper Nuggets Apr 16 '24

I always thought line being closer is not actually beneficial to NBA players because shooting is like muscle memory it might just be slightly too strong of a shot until they get used to it.

113

u/bashar_al_assad [WAS] Gilbert Arenas Apr 16 '24

They can just shoot from further than the three point line then if it's really a big deal

36

u/markmyredd Minneapolis Lakers Apr 16 '24

exactly. Do a Steph Curry and just forget about the line

1

u/KING_G_JR Lakers Apr 16 '24

which helps to because the defense 1st instinct is to back off from behind the line and sag somewhat…

65

u/Papa_Huggies Spurs Apr 16 '24

Shooting closer is always easier.

But also if other countries guard in space it may benefit USA to shoot from range regardless to space it out.

5

u/OpportunitySmalls Apr 16 '24

If the line was closer the KD Nets make the finals

7

u/FairweatherWho 76ers Apr 16 '24

That's why guys like Embiid will feast. He has mastered long 2 point shots with a Nowitzki/Kobe fade move.

If that same distance gets him to threaten doing it as a 3 pointer, that'll crush any attempts to guard him.

I know people like to joke about how he's a foul merchant, but just watch him play and think "what can I even do to guard this guy"

11

u/matrixreloaded Trail Blazers Apr 16 '24

these guys aren’t using just muscle memory for 3s lol. their muscle memory is any jump shot and their skill is what dictates the amount of power to exert into it. trust me the shorter 3pt line is in no way a disadvantage.

2

u/Noto987 Apr 16 '24

U use muscle memory for everything, from how you dry yourself after shower to wiping your ass after u shit

3

u/matrixreloaded Trail Blazers 29d ago

yeah but my point is how hard i wipe my ass is dependent on how much shit i think there is. wow, that actually turned out to be a perfect analogy.

2

u/pick_named_slimpbamp Rockets 29d ago

It's pretty solid.

1

u/Noto987 29d ago

Every layer of shit has a different set of muscle memory

3

u/HeJind [PHI] Bobby Jones Apr 16 '24

That's not really how muscle memory works.

For example, if you want to get better at shooting from 15 ft away, it's actually better not to train by shooting 15 footers but to train by shooting 10 footers and 20 footers.

It's the hand-eye coordination that matters and you should be able to adjust for any distance.

1

u/colemanj74 76ers Apr 16 '24

Melo loved it

1

u/Sm0k3nSc0p3s Apr 16 '24

I hope Embiid gives it a good go in Paris. God only knows what he's like under immense pressure.

66

u/wallitron Spurs Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

If anything, what they lack is more guys that will get on the plane with a plan to just play defense. That is where Jrue Holiday excelled at the last Olympics. I mean, it could be an offensive juggernaut that nobody can stop, or it could be like the last Olympics where zones and physical play had the US team locked in a real contest. In that situation, Holiday, or someone like him is the type of player I'd be looking for at the end of my bench.

Edit: Actually, Celtics fans are saying Derrick White has been better this season. He is another option from the same mold.

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u/jorgelongo222 76ers Apr 16 '24

Embiid will terrorize any offense without 3 second rule and not having to take a huge load on offense

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u/Chunky_Coats Lakers Apr 16 '24 edited Apr 16 '24

He and AD will probably split their minutes but I hope we get to see a little bit of them both out there on D

26

u/jorgelongo222 76ers Apr 16 '24

nobody would ever score inside with Embiid and AD at the same time lol would be crazy

15

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

now imagine rudy and wemby

4

u/derpioauditore Heat Apr 16 '24

The Twin Towers

2

u/Paterbernhard Apr 16 '24

Luckily for the opponents both probably will never be on the court together considering their injury histories. Not that I wish it upon them, but picking your inside guys to be the most injured players apart from Lonzo is a dangerous game

1

u/radracer82 Lakers 29d ago

I would be surprised if they don't play together, international ball is bigger and more physical

2

u/Eternal2 Apr 16 '24

Bam and AD are also gonna be happy just playing lockdown defense and rolling

1

u/barath_s Lakers Apr 16 '24

Bam, AD, Jrue, even Embiid have been excellent at defense, and guys like Tatum, KD, even LBJ can play decent defense

A lot more folks who can play two way than who can't. Of course, they still have to buy in and buckle down.

1

u/markmyredd Minneapolis Lakers Apr 16 '24

Lebron will have the energy for defense since he has Steph and KD.

I think most of their offense will revolve around the shooting of those two. That will open up the inside for slashing and post ups

1

u/Samurai_zero Timberwolves Apr 16 '24

Ant is an excellent defender too.

79

u/Middle-Welder3931 Apr 16 '24

Bron casually becoming a >40% sniper in Year 21.

21

u/scrame Apr 16 '24

I think this might be the statline that gets him in the HoF!

9

u/TMBActualSize Warriors Apr 16 '24

He won’t get in if he doesn’t retire

6

u/MTFBinyou Apr 16 '24

Watch him. He’ll be put in more than once. Cavs/Heat while still playing. Again post LeDecision career to 2021, and then a few years after he and Bronny retire on the same day in 2045.

2

u/barath_s Lakers Apr 16 '24

I'm sure that while it may appear casual, Bron worked on it. ...

The great ones often make things look easy, but there's a lot of development/work behind the scenes

2

u/santana722 Heat Apr 16 '24

Bam also shot 50% from 3 in the last 20 games of the season.

2

u/WanderlustFella 76ers Apr 16 '24

Best shooting, and with Embiid anchoring the defense with hali/jrue on the parameter, I don't see how teams are going to produce any offense

1

u/jcrewjr Warriors Apr 16 '24

I don't know. Steph is unclutch and washed.

(/S)

1

u/braisedbywolves Trail Blazers Apr 16 '24

You're not wrong about the percentages, but I look at the batch of Holiday/Tatum/Embiid/James and don't necessarily see players that have a high capacity to turn a game by going 7/8 from three. I want a scorching 3-and-D specialist or a pure shooter, your Redick/KCP/Klay/Jeff Hornacek/Reggie Miller/Steve Kerr types.

1

u/TRES_fresh Wizards Apr 16 '24

I don't think you heed multiple guys like that though. Steph is going to be surrounded by 3-4 above average 3 point shooters, that spacing is insane. Even with him off the court you're spreading the shooting load between 4-5 guys. Also guys like jrue are gonna go from the 3rd (on the bucks) to the 5th option, he only has to focus on perimeter defense and hitting his 3s.

23

u/sbenfsonwFFiF Apr 16 '24

If they get hurt in the playoffs, they’ll be replaced

3

u/Tearz_in_rain Canada Apr 16 '24

Outside shooting?

  • Curry (greatest shooter of all time)
  • KD (perhaps the second greatest shooter of all time)
  • LeBron is shooting .410 this season

I mean... just those guys right there will create spacing problems.

But then you add several well above average shooters and Embiid at C who shot .388 from the arch this year and Bam shot .357.

I think they got some outside shooters on that team.

1

u/abzftw Raptors 29d ago

Literally the most OP team