Woj: Lebron, Steph Curry, & KD Headline 2024 Team USA Olympic Roster

[Hornet Mania]

The 12th team member needs to run out of the tunnel to theme music WWE-style when Team USA is on the ropes.

'Bah gawd, that's Jalen Brunson! What's he doing here?'

[Jta444]

Of course USA still wins it’s got the population size and talent pool of at least 5 European countries. The fairer match will be Team USA vs Team Europe let’s see if Americans will still show off and talk trash they’d be **** their pants. Team USA rn reminds me of Lebron teams before always stacking the deck and acting as if it’s a huge achievement when they win like dude you got all the best players and talent ofc you will and should(!!!) win and and win easily (which Lebron never did and team USA also having a hard time these past few Olympics)

What do you think a Team Europe roster would look like?

C Jokic
PF Wembanyama
SF Giannis
SG Markannen
PG Doncic

[Wingy]

Get someone other than Haliburton on there FFS someone who can provide some rim pressure and play legit POA defense. Why not Brunson or Fox? Haliburton’s defense is so so so bad and with guys like Curry and LeBron on the team we need more defense not more offense

Also is it me or do we have no answer for Wemby or Jokic on this team?

There’s one thing this team is clearly missing: a speedster.

There’s one roster spot left, and I’d pick Fox.

Lack of elite speed and agility at the guard position is what gives the rest of the world a chance when comprising these rosters. The world has a shot when Team USA continues to not send that sort of player. I think that they heavily favor pick and roll defense and spot up shooting at that position. Fox and Donovan Mitchell would be additions that would give Team USA an overpowering speed/athleticism advantage.

Not just a shot, sometimes they get an advantage. It’s how you get guys like Dennis Schroder shredding us. We’re putting almost all defensive guard hopes on Jrue Holiday - playing after yet another long, long playoff run. There’s Ant too, but not sure he’s the best to chase PGs.

[JujitsuFlip]

Some teams are going to be pretty tired to start next season.

Whichever of the Celtics, Wolves, Lakers and Suns go deep into the playoffs are the obvious ones. (Even worse for the Celtics in that respect is if Porzingis gets Olympic run, but I haven't tracked whether that's likely.)

I mean the training camp for team USA is 10 days and then they'll have to play six games in 15 days assuming they'll reach the medal round.After that they'll have almost 3 months until NBA camps begin.My point is that the tiredness from playing in Olympics is kinda overstated.

The Olympics end August 11th and NBA training camps open the last week of September/first week of October.

I'm no mathematician but that's not even 2 full months off.

[Bloodbather]

Forget Team USA, to me the real draw of the Olympics is France with Gobert and Wembanyama playing together with no defensive three seconds rule. Can't wait to see it, hopefully there's no injuries preventing it.

[_jin]

I'd pick Brunson over Hali if I was building a NBA team but for FIBA ball Hali over Brunson makes a lot of sense. The game of short scoring guards like Brunson doesnt translate well in FIBA, and the team isnt lacking players who can create for themselves, a better playmaker like Haliburton fits better with this squad. Hopefully Kawhi or PG round up the roster as more defense will probably be needed.

[_jin]

Forget Team USA, to me the real draw of the Olympics is France with Gobert and Wembanyama playing together with no defensive three seconds rule. Can't wait to see it, hopefully there's so injuries preventing it.

France might lack offensive firepower but the defense is going to be nasty. It's not only Wemby and Gobert, pretty much everyone on the potential list except Fournier and Okobo are great defenders. There's been a lot of french chatter recently about Wemby playing SF with Yabusele at the 4 and Gobert at C. You can't score in the paint against that team.

[Wingy]

Really hope Kawhi gets that last spot.

I really hope he doesn’t. We have a bounty of older, injury prone players as it is. No more, please.

Completely disagree

The answer to a problem isn't extremism. Going the complete opposite would merely expose different weaknesses.

This team has plenty of experience and old guys with Lebron, Steph, KD, AD, Embiid, and Jrue all 30 or over - 5 of the 6 NBA champions. Booker is 27 with a Finals run and a gold medal. Tatum is younger, but has tons of playoff experience, Finals run, and a gold.

We don't need more old, injury prone guys. The 6 over 30 vets I listed above are injured enough as is, and Jrue has a ton of mileage coming off of so many deep playoff runs and even past Olympics, and surely right off another deep playoff run. These teams are tough enough to figure out chemistry. Kawhi having a knee flare up and a need to begin load managing mid-Olympics is just what they need.

[Gusto1903]

Theres no way this squad doesnt win the Gold. Literally none.

[JustBuzzin]

The 12th team member needs to run out of the tunnel to theme music WWE-style when Team USA is on the ropes.

'Bah gawd, that's Jalen Brunson! What's he doing here?'

Nah that's Olympic Melo coming out of retirement for one last run at the Gold.

I swear Melo should get more credit for his Olympic play. For a guy who was labeled a ball stopper he was damn good in his role at the Olympics.

[Wingy]

Theres no way this squad doesnt win the Gold. Literally none.

This is at 1:36 left in the game, and Team USA is the miss shown right here away from only being up by a single 3-pointer.

This team had prime Kobe. Lebron, DWade, Bosh, and Melo at 5 full years in the league, and as motivated as they possibly could be coming off a bronze medal humbling at the worlds.

Looks like the time param doesn't let you embed the vid, but this goes to the exact point I'm referencing.

https://youtu.be/jZY5cZWGWKE?t=6233


The rest of the world has only gotten better in the 16 years since then. US is absolutely the favorites, but the days of Team USA being completely unbeatable in a one-game scenario are long gone.

[Fencer reregistered]

Some teams are going to be pretty tired to start next season.

Whichever of the Celtics, Wolves, Lakers and Suns go deep into the playoffs are the obvious ones. (Even worse for the Celtics in that respect is if Porzingis gets Olympic run, but I haven't tracked whether that's likely.)

I mean the training camp for team USA is 10 days and then they'll have to play six games in 15 days assuming they'll reach the medal round.After that they'll have almost 3 months until NBA camps begin.My point is that the tiredness from playing in Olympics is kinda overstated.

The Olympics end August 11th and NBA training camps open the last week of September/first week of October.

I'm no mathematician but that's not even 2 full months off.

I should have added the Nuggets, by the way. Murray is on Team Canada, which should be pretty good. And of course the Nuggets are likely to go deep into the playoffs.

[SelfishPlayer]

Of course USA still wins it’s got the population size and talent pool of at least 5 European countries. The fairer match will be Team USA vs Team Europe let’s see if Americans will still show off and talk trash they’d be **** their pants. Team USA rn reminds me of Lebron teams before always stacking the deck and acting as if it’s a huge achievement when they win like dude you got all the best players and talent ofc you will and should(!!!) win and and win easily (which Lebron never did and team USA also having a hard time these past few Olympics)

What do you think a Team Europe roster would look like?

C Jokic
PF Wembanyama
SF Giannis
SG Markannen
PG Doncic

I need a full 12 man roster because that looks odd.

[SelfishPlayer]

There’s one thing this team is clearly missing: a speedster.

There’s one roster spot left, and I’d pick Fox.

Lack of elite speed and agility at the guard position is what gives the rest of the world a chance when comprising these rosters. The world has a shot when Team USA continues to not send that sort of player. I think that they heavily favor pick and roll defense and spot up shooting at that position. Fox and Donovan Mitchell would be additions that would give Team USA an overpowering speed/athleticism advantage.

Not just a shot, sometimes they get an advantage. It’s how you get guys like Dennis Schroder shredding us. We’re putting almost all defensive guard hopes on Jrue Holiday - playing after yet another long, long playoff run. There’s Ant too, but not sure he’s the best to chase PGs.

I'm glad that you see it, it's almost conspiracy worthy.

[RodyTur10]

I bet it looks something like:

Curry / Haliburton
Holiday / Booker
LeBron / Edwards
KD / Tatum
Embiid / AD / Adebayo

LeBron and KD are definitely starting

I agree with others that this team is too old. Everybody over 30 out and Embiid (too injury-prone).
New guys: Brunson, Mitchell, Barnes, Williamson, Allen and White as the last addition.

Haliburton / Brunson
Mitchell / Booker / White
Edwards / Barnes
Tatum / Williamson
Davis / Adebayo / Allen

[SK21209]

I bet it looks something like:

Curry / Haliburton
Holiday / Booker
LeBron / Edwards
KD / Tatum
Embiid / AD / Adebayo

LeBron and KD are definitely starting

I agree with others that this team is too old. Everybody over 30 out and Embiid (too injury-prone).
New guys: Brunson, Mitchell, Barnes, Williamson, Allen and White as the last addition.

Haliburton / Brunson
Mitchell / Booker / White
Edwards / Barnes
Tatum / Williamson
Davis / Adebayo / Allen

Too old for what? They're going to be the overwhelming favorite. I do think it would be fine to see the younger team you listed, but I also think its fun to see Curry/LeBron/KD play together before they retire considering they're the defining players of the last decade.

[snaquille oatmeal]

I guess we’ll find out if the world caught up to us.

[dhsilv2]

But why?

[Crives]

I hope the older guys come off the bench. Start something like

PG - Jrue
SG - Booker
SF - Ant
PF - Tatum
C - Embiid

[JB2]

I still hate Embiid on the roster but he is a major get.

Embiid, AD, Bam
LeBron, Tatum
KD, Ant
Jrue, Booker
Curry, Hali

Nice mix of old guys, prime players, and young players. People complaining the team is too old is kinda strange as there's def youth there but it's also the last stand for Bron, Durant, Curry, Jrue, and likely AD so all those young guys people are mentioning can gear up for 28 in LA. (Brunson, Mitchell, Fox, Mobley, Chet, Miller, etc).

Last spot should go to a guy like Herb Jones, IMO. Not sure another guard is needed but Brunson deserved it.