OT: What's your 2016 Dream Team?

[ADDinChicago]

Also, we need to stop using "Dream Team". It was a one-time thing when it actually was the greatest and most dominant team ever assembled. "Dream Team II" was a bed enough bastardization. "Team USA" suffices enough at this point.

[DarthDiggler69]

Also, we need to stop using "Dream Team". It was a one-time thing when it actually was the greatest and most dominant team ever assembled. "Dream Team II" was a bed enough bastardization. "Team USA" suffices enough at this point.

Amen, don't know why they are called 'Dream Team'.

[LobosJordan]

Also, we need to stop using "Dream Team". It was a one-time thing when it actually was the greatest and most dominant team ever assembled. "Dream Team II" was a bed enough bastardization. "Team USA" suffices enough at this point.

I liked the Redeem Team nickname they gave them a few years back

[ADDinChicago]

Also, we need to stop using "Dream Team". It was a one-time thing when it actually was the greatest and most dominant team ever assembled. "Dream Team II" was a bed enough bastardization. "Team USA" suffices enough at this point.

I liked the Redeem Team nickname they gave them a few years back

I did too as it made sense getting the USA back on top after a couple of laughable teams that America sent over for international play.

[deano the p]

PG Paul/Westbrook/Iriving
SG Curry/Harden
SF Durant/Leonard
PF Lebron/Carmelo/Aldrigde
C Davis/Cousins

[FreakMaster]

I really don't want to see the same players in the 2016 Olympics who played in the 2012 Olympics so I eliminated LeBron, Melo, Westbrook, CP3, & KD.

C, DeAndre Jordan/ D. Cousins/ Nerlens Noel/ A. Drummond
PF, Anthony Davis / Griffin/ Aldridge
SF, Kawhi Leonard/ Paul George/ Draymond Green/ Stanley Johnson
SG, Harden/ Jimmy Butler/ Klay Thompson/ Bradley Beal
PG/ Curry/ Irving/ Lillard/ Teague/ Wall

[MGB8]

Try to get some newer blood in, and factoring in Euro-ball style of play:

pg: Curry, Irving
sg: K.Thomspon, B.Beal
sf: Leonard, G.Hayward
pf: Aldridge, Dr.Green
cc: A.Davis, Cousins
5th big - A.Horford
5th guard - the criminally overlooked M.Conley

No guys on the team who can't shoot. Not huge inside because you don't need it as much in Euro ball, and too many of America's strong defensive bigs are big liabilities at the line or on offense (Drummond and Jordan).

[WYO]

Try to get some newer blood in, and factoring in Euro-ball style of play:

pg: Curry, Irving
sg: K.Thomspon, B.Beal
sf: Leonard, G.Hayward
pf: Aldridge, Dr.Green
cc: A.Davis, Cousins
5th big - A.Horford
5th guard - the criminally overlooked M.Conley

No guys on the team who can't shoot. Not huge inside because you don't need it as much in Euro ball, and too many of America's strong defensive bigs are big liabilities at the line or on offense (Drummond and Jordan).

I like this idea a lot. I would replace Beal and Horford with Butler and Jordan.

[RomeDaDome]

5: Brow/ Boogie
4: Lebron/ KD/ Griffin
3: Leonard/ George
2: Harden/ Klay
1: Curry/ Westbrook/ CP3

Butler would take PG13's spot if he's not healthy... It's hard to leave off Kyrie and Love if they're healthy but I like Griffin to push the ball more off of rebounds even though Love is a good outlet passer. The 3 PG's are just better than Kyrie.

Since we're talking hypotheticals, then I'm rolling with this team.

[greenl]

C : Davis / Cousins / Bosh
PF : Durant / Love / Carmelo
SF : LeBron / Kawahi / Paul George
SG : Harden / Klay / Korver
PG : Kyrie / Curry / Westbrook

Wow!!!! The league is VERY strong again.

Kyrie over Curry?

Kyrie is a much stronger Pick N Roll player than Curry.

Curry still makes the team easily - but Kyrie starts.

Interesting choice. To each their own.

FWIW 2014-15 season- as ball handler- Steph Curry .97 PPP Kyrie Irving: .91 PPP

Kyrie was better at isolation- not surprisingly- given his excellent handles at 1.09 PPP

http://stats.nba.com/playtype/#!/ball-handler/?dir=1&sort=Percentile&PT=player&OD=offensive

[aramada]

Paul/Curry/Westbrook
Harden/George
James/Durant
Davis/Aldridge/Griffin
Howard/Cousins
Back-ups: Wall, Thompson, Melo

[transplant]

CP3 is basically a US/Popovich staple on the international roster

Paul is a staple on the international team because he's:

1) a brilliant playmaker
2) doesn't need to score (low usage)
3) is a very good defensive PG

Paul is a staple on the international team because international competition isn't a video game.

Paul starts on my US Olympic team and I play him as many minutes as he can handle.

I'll start Klay Thompson at SG. Durant at SF. Lebron James starts at PF. I know A.Davis is a PF, but if he's OK with it, he's my starting center.

I'll take a bench of Curry, Harden, Butler, Westbrook, Aldridge, Leonard and Chandler.

[DarthDiggler69]

If the USA brought the 1992 Dream Team back they'd probably still beat every team by 40

[OldSchoolNoBull]

I'm going against the grain and going big.

Drummond over Cousins for chemistry reasons.

Warriors backcourt getting all those shots when the defense is focused on LBJ and AD. Jordan working the boards.

Second unit, CP3 directs a stable of scorers led by Durant.

Third unit, Westbrook and Love dominate, also Drummond/Love inside/outside game.

Jordan/Aldridge/Drummond
Davis/Griffin/Love
LeBron/Durant/Leonard
Klay/Harden/George
Curry/CP3/Westbrook

Just an idea.


Here's another - what if it was an only five years or less in the league(as of 2016) team, i.e. all players drafted 2011-2015.

Davis/Drummond
Dr.Green/T.Thompson/Manimal
Leonard/Jimmy/Middleton
Klay/Wiggins/Beal
Irving/Lillard/I.Thomas

Of course Jabari and any of the 2015 draftees could get in if they have strong years.

[ADDinChicago]

CP3 is basically a US/Popovich staple on the international roster

Paul is a staple on the international team because he's:

1) a brilliant playmaker
2) doesn't need to score (low usage)
3) is a very good defensive PG

Paul is a staple on the international team because international competition isn't a video game.

Paul starts on my US Olympic team and I play him as many minutes as he can handle.

I'll start Klay Thompson at SG. Durant at SF. Lebron James starts at PF. I know A.Davis is a PF, but if he's OK with it, he's my starting center.

I'll take a bench of Curry, Harden, Butler, Westbrook, Aldridge, Leonard and Chandler.

Don't get me wrong, it wasn't a knock on Chris Paul in any way. I'm a big fan and always have been. But he's also going to 31 next summer and has already won 2 Olympic Golds. I at this point, would still send Curry, Westrbook, & Irving or Wall at this point. My point was simply Paul will be there regardless because he's a Pop staple on the National Team.

No one said it was a video game. If you still want him as your starting 1, have at it as that's totally cool in my book. I'm just not for sending older players again and again. Same reason I wouldn't automatically just give someone like Kobe (my second favorite player ever behind MJ) or Carmelo Anthony, etc. I think the only 30+ lock should be LeBron James, whom I don't even care for, but he is the best player in the world still. And then LaMarcus Aldridge just do to the lack of enough really strong/quality US born big men.

[Ice Man]

Curry
Harden
LBJ
Blake
AD

Or we could go "small" with Durant on the wing and LBJ in Blake's slot.

I'd have a go at the Original Dream Team with that lineup.

[jcuuofd]

PG: Curry/Paul/Westbrook
SG: Harden/Thompson
SF: James/Anthony/Durant
PF: Davis/Love
C: Cousins/Drummond

Westbrook will get some minutes at SG. James will split minutes between SF and PF. Davis will play some minutes at C. Drummond probably will only play in blow outs, but they need an extra center in case of an injury.

Aldridge is clearly better than Love, but he has shown no interest in playing in the Olympics so I did not include him.

[ralphisBullsFan]

just remember when you have those talented point forwards and point guards who like to handle the ball you will need wings that are good catch and shoot 3 pt options...And you want them to be able to defend...Trevor Ariza and Danny green should be on that list with Klay Thompson and our Jimmy...Can't have a team on the court with 5 first options....

Curry, LBJ and Davis are your best 3 depending where you want to play LBJ and Davis dictates the rest of your starting line up...Just remember their is only one ball...you want versatile 2 way players to add to your stars...

[No-Man]

Well pretty easily the top12 american players in the world as of today,

Paul-Westbrook-Irving
Curry-Harden
James-Anthony
Durant-Griffin-Aldridge
Davis-Howard

As for the B team (between the available guys)

Wall-Conley
Thompson-Butler
George-Leonard-Hayward
Love-Green-Gay
Cousins-Jordan

In the end it will be a mix between those two I suppose.

[Ice Man]

If the USA brought the 1992 Dream Team back they'd probably still beat every team by 40

Not sure the '92 squad would beat 2016 Team USA.