Team Canada Basketball Thread V2.0

[frumble]

So what are we looking at best case scenario now?
CoJo
Murray
Brooks
Olynyk
Birch

Pangos
Stuaskas
P Scrubb
T. Scrubb
Lyles
Ejim
Boucher

Still pretty good if the team gels.
Does this open the door for maybe a Doornekamp? Wiltjer? How about some fo the rookies? I have said no to all the rookies, but
I heard NAW is probably out as well - but could Shayok or Clarke help here? Older, more mature guys.
I am still skeptical about Trey Lyles and think he is a drop out candidate (although I have heard nothing about it) - but he becomes a key guy now.

I also expect Lyles to be out, and think Wiltjer likely takes that spot.
If any of the rookies can play, I hope its Clarke. IMHO Shayok would not be able to add much value (unless there are a lot more departures from the list).

Any more departures and there is a high chance Doornekamp and/or Heslip make the cut.

[WellYouKnow]

I have alot more hope for Lyles than others it seems. The Spurs have usually been in favour of playing in these tourneys and there's a wide open spot for him to get huge minutes here.

Lyles could use a little momentum right now and I think this is a great oppurtunity for him.

[Mattd97]

Lyles has never shown any commitment to the program at all. I was shocked to see his name on the invite list. That's why no one is writing him in.

Powell not showing up is bad for all the reasons people have said. Committed enough to help us qualify. Signed a big deal this summer. Owner of the team was at his FIBA Games supporting him last year. If hes out, it's scary to think who will be left.

Agents must not care at all. We're not the US. If these guys don't play in the world cup, they won't be playing in the Olympics. I get that you don't care about the world cup cause it's not the Olympics, but the fact is we don't qualify for the Olympics without our best. So you're taking your clients out of the best international exposure they're likely ever to get

[TrueNorth31]

I have alot more hope for Lyles than others it seems. The Spurs have usually been in favour of playing in these tourneys and there's a wide open spot for him to get huge minutes here.

Lyles could use a little momentum right now and I think this is a great oppurtunity for him.

I think this is a good point - Popovich is coaching the American team. He's not likely to discourage Lyles from playing given his own commitment.

Lyles contract is guaranteed for only 1 year though, so if you have to go through Olympic Qualifiers in June 2020 he'd probably not be available. Still cross that bridge when and if you get to it.....

[WellYouKnow]

Lyles has never shown any commitment to the program at all. I was shocked to see his name on the invite list. That's why no one is writing him in.

Powell not showing up is bad for all the reasons people have said. Committed enough to help us qualify. Signed a big deal this summer. Owner of the team was at his FIBA Games supporting him last year. If hes out, it's scary to think who will be left.

Agents must not care at all. We're not the US. If these guys don't play in the world cup, they won't be playing in the Olympics. I get that you don't care about the world cup cause it's not the Olympics, but the fact is we don't qualify for the Olympics without our best. So you're taking your clients out of the best international exposure they're likely ever to get

He played in the u18 and u19 world championships. I know he hasn't played at the senior level yet but I'm not gonna hold that against him unless he pulls out this year

[mojo13]

Tyler Ennis's workouts and physicals did not go well with Maccabi Tel Aviv - they will not be offering him a contract. Sounds like he has not recovered from injury and is still out for 6-8 weeks.

[gundysmullet]

Dwight Powell withdrawed

Withdrew

[BilboBanginz]

[Insert 'This is Fine' Meme]

Read on Twitter

[BilboBanginz]

We're going to end up with a starting back court of Phil Scrubb and Brady Heslip, aren't we.

[Mattd97]

I just really hope these guys understand the reality that if they dont show up, there is no Olympics.
But it's clearly a directive the agents are getting on cause the guys dropping out all played to QUALIFY

[WellYouKnow]

Cory not playing would sting so much. I pretty much consider him the captain of the team.

This one would kinda piss me off. I 100% believe that these guys can do whatever they want and we should respect anybody's decision to potentially put or not put their bodies on the line in these international tourneys

BUUUUT, what was the point of everything that lead up to this tourney and all the time and effort you put in over the years getting here?

I mean this is it. This is realistically the best chance we could potentially have to medal for a long time.

It just really sucks that we finally qualified for something right with most of guys in or hitting their primes, and we might just be throwing this opportunity away

[TrueNorth31]

Tough news - especially given Joseph was such a stalwart for the program. Forget all the crap about mainly playing " for love of country " which many weaker sportscasters blather on about, it's really camaraderie and friendship which is often a bigger factor in having players participate internationally. They meet as youngsters for the national program and form lifelong bonds ( Barrett and Nash). Joseph off course is really tight with Tristan Thompson and when he withdrew I thought that this may happen ( he's also tight with Olynyk , their mothers played university ball together and as youngsters Kelly and Cory played club ball on the same team ). The Band of Brothers element drives participation.

Also we need to remember these players like you and I do , have real lives. An unpaid 6 week commitment is tough, especially if your boss ( an NBA team is not particularly supportive). I know my wife would not have been very happy , especially with young children in the household if I went trundling off on a 6 week escapade with my buddies after having spent most of the prior year travelling with my job. Fiba is often a young man's game.

Perhaps it's time to turn the page with new generation of players. Joseph and Thompson were both not particularly great Fiba guys due to their lack of shooting prowess. Hopefully a combo of SGA and Murray if they remain committed, backed up by Pangos may be a better fit for this type of game.

[VanWest82]

FIBA needs to consider rescheduling the WC. It’s too late in the summer. Guys basically have to go straight from there to camp. No real break. Have it in July right after summer league then everyone still gets to vacation in Aug. bet there’d be way more NBA participation.

[TrueNorth31]

I just really hope these guys understand the reality that if they dont show up, there is no Olympics.
But it's clearly a directive the agents are getting on cause the guys dropping out all played to QUALIFY

This isn't actually true - I imagine it's an emotional hot take which I totally get. There is off course a last chance tournament in late June 2020 to get into the Olympics. I'd say given our pool and draw we have a greater than 50% chance of being in that event.

Having said that you need to plan accordingly. I think Basketball Canada ( the Raptors/Drake would have to be the driving force behind such a project ) needs to host one of these 4 tournaments.

Also in such a scenario would you bring back guys to qualify who didn't play in the World Cup ( i. e . Wiggins ) ? The Americans seem to be going the route of having new open tryouts for the 2020 Olympic team. Would we do the same ? I have mixed feelings on this as loyalty should be rewarded. Perhaps though you should be flexible and just go with your best available players.

[UcanUwill]

FIBA needs to consider rescheduling the WC. It’s too late in the summer. Guys basically have to go straight from there to camp. No real break. Have it in July right after summer league then everyone still gets to vacation in Aug. bet there’d be way more NBA participation.

Every nation has at least month long camp, so basically, NT games would start at June, before some seasons even end. You think players would like to go to NT camp literally the next day after they end the season?

[ItsDanger]

Month long camp before 2 weeks of games is WAY too long. These guys are professionals. Some players have been off 4 months already. Playing for their country just doesn't mean that much. Oh but we need to put our money back into the sport huh?

[TrueNorth31]

Spain beat Lithuania 78-70 in exhibition play.

https://www.eurobasket.com/Spain/news/590385/Spain-beat-Lithuania-in-friendly

[VanWest82]

FIBA needs to consider rescheduling the WC. It’s too late in the summer. Guys basically have to go straight from there to camp. No real break. Have it in July right after summer league then everyone still gets to vacation in Aug. bet there’d be way more NBA participation.

Every nation has at least month long camp, so basically, NT games would start at June, before some seasons even end. You think players would like to go to NT camp literally the next day after they end the season?

Except camp hasn't even started yet and it's August long weekend. Even moving it up by three weeks would still give guys a bit of a break in between WC and NBA training camps. Also, most players are done NBA season in April or May not June.

[TrueNorth31]

I think we need to remember for North American players there's a real cultural component at work here as well - we place much more value on the Olympics rather than the World Cup. The rest of the world follows the Fifa soccer model where by a World Championship is seen as being paramount.

I mean look at how we in Canada are treating this event. It's not being shown on TV ( it's available only via streaming via DAZN ) and I really doubt that even one Canadian media member will be in these times of restraint sent to China. I'd say there's even less interest in the States given their usual dominance. Quite sad for fans like us.

[UcanUwill]

FIBA needs to consider rescheduling the WC. It’s too late in the summer. Guys basically have to go straight from there to camp. No real break. Have it in July right after summer league then everyone still gets to vacation in Aug. bet there’d be way more NBA participation.

Every nation has at least month long camp, so basically, NT games would start at June, before some seasons even end. You think players would like to go to NT camp literally the next day after they end the season?

Except camp hasn't even started yet and it's August long weekend. Even moving it up by three weeks would still give guys a bit of a break in between WC and NBA training camps. Also, most players are done NBA season in April or May not June.

Well, I am not sure what Canada is doing, most countries started their camps already, Canada's rival Lithuania is done with pre game training and already played a friendly game against Spain.