What would your starting five be for this year's Team USA squad if you were in charge?

style_0 · Post #1 » by **style_0** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 3:12 am

With fit and skill set balancing mattering of course

Roster:

Guards:
Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors)
Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns)
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Jrue Holiday (Boston Celtics)
Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers).

Forwards:
LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers)
Kevin Durant (Phoenix Suns)
Kawhi Leonard (LA Clippers
Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

Centers:
Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers)
Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers)
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat)

I think my five would be

PG: Curry
SG: Ant
SF: Tatum
PF: LeBron
C: Embiid

Colbinii · Post #2 » by **Colbinii** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 3:31 am

I think the 5 you listed is fine. Can also go Curry/Tatum/Durant/LeBron/Embiid for an absolute massive starting 5.

I think Team USA should lean into Hockey Lines.

Curry/ANT/LeBron/Tatum/Embiid
Haliburton/Booker/Jrue/KD/AD

I also think Bam Adebayo is super important as a connector.

ardee · Post #3 » by **ardee** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 9:50 am

Curry/Kawhi/Durant/LeBron/Davis.

I don't really care for the kiddos, give me my 2010s stars for a last dance.

Edit:

Just for fun, here's what I'd have the entire squad be if I was in charge:

Guards

Stephen Curry
James Harden
Kyrie Irving
Damian Lillard
Chris Paul

Wings

LeBron James
Kevin Durant
Kawhi Leonard
Jimmy Butler

Bigs

Anthony Davis
Draymond Green
DeAndre Jordan (spot minutes)

Just give me all the 2010s main actors together for one last ride, we'd see reunions as well as team-ups that we always wanted to see.

migya · Post #4 » by **migya** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 11:12 am

The greatest lineup ever:

Magic/Stockton
Jordan/Drexler
Bird/Pippen/Mullin
Malone?Barkley
Robinson/Ewing

rk2023 · Post #5 » by **rk2023** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 12:56 pm

migya wrote:The greatest lineup ever:

Magic/Stockton
Jordan/Drexler
Bird/Pippen/Mullin
Malone?Barkley
Robinson/Ewing

A greatest lineup ever with Stockton and Malone :lol:

Post #6 » by **penbeast0** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 1:23 pm

Well, first off, the current team is both old and injury prone so that would certainly come into consideration. I'd start a strong defensive squad to set a tone, then bring in guys early for the likes of Embiid, Kawhi, etc. to keep them fresh and available.

Embiid (but Bam would probably play the most minutes)
LeBron (Davis, Durant, and Tatum would all shift here for large stretches)
Kawhi (because you have to start the GOAT)
Holiday (Can quickly shift bigger if needed)
Curry (because the rest of my lineup is on the big side) but Haliburton, Holiday, etc. would also see time

homecourtloss · Post #7 » by **homecourtloss** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 2:40 pm

If Kawhi is healthy, then Curry/Kawhi/Durant/James/AD. If he’s not (likely), then Curry/Jrue/Durant/James/AD. The team has a plethora of lineups it can play that can switch, play 5-out, and shoot that include lineups playing big as well.

James/Kawhi/Tatum/KD/AD or Embiid or Bam
James/Edwards/Kawhi/Tatum/AD or Embiid or Bam
Curry/Edwards/Tatum/KD/AD or Embiid or Bam
Curry/James/KD/AD/Biid or Bam
Edwards/Kawhi/Tatum/AD/Biid or Bam

jalengreen · Post #8 » by **jalengreen** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 3:20 pm

penbeast0 wrote:Well, first off, the current team is both old and injury prone so that would certainly come into consideration. I'd start a strong defensive squad to set a tone, then bring in guys early for the likes of Embiid, Kawhi, etc. to keep them fresh and available.

Embiid (but Bam would probably play the most minutes)
LeBron (Davis, Durant, and Tatum would all shift here for large stretches)
Kawhi (because you have to start the GOAT)
Holiday (Can quickly shift bigger if needed)
Curry (because the rest of my lineup is on the big side) but Haliburton, Holiday, etc. would also see time

Was the Kawhi parenthetical description mistakenly assigned? Or am i missing something

Post #9 » by **penbeast0** » Fri Jul 5, 2024 8:30 pm

jalengreen wrote:
Was the Kawhi parenthetical description mistakenly assigned? Or am i missing something

Yeah, had it a bit different, adjusted it but missed adjusting that parenthetical phrase.

migya · Post #10 » by **migya** » Sat Jul 6, 2024 1:56 am

rk2023 wrote:
migya wrote:The greatest lineup ever:

Magic/Stockton
Jordan/Drexler
Bird/Pippen/Mullin
Malone?Barkley
Robinson/Ewing

A greatest lineup ever with Stockton and Malone

So two alltime stars that were among the best, metrics shows it, for almost twenty years, lead their team to average of 55 wins for over twelve years, aren't good?

:lol:

Ol Roy · Post #11 » by **Ol Roy** » Sat Jul 6, 2024 3:37 am

migya wrote:The greatest lineup ever:

Magic/Stockton
Jordan/Drexler
Bird/Pippen/Mullin
Malone?Barkley
Robinson/Ewing

I felt like Barkley meshed in with other stars a lot better than Malone, for whatever reason.