Z.Lowe /B. Simmons : Team USA 2028 - Barnes not even mentioned

[YogurtProducer]

There will be plenty of players on the USA roster who will be a worse player and a worse fit than Scottie Barnes and that's quite alright as well. Their loss not so much his unless that's something he's gunning for

Such as…?

[CPT]

I’m probably in the minority here, but why would anyone want Scottie to be on Team Canada?

Canada has nothing to do with who he is as a basketball player, and anything he did for the team would in no way represent Canadian basketball.

I know lines are kind of blurry (and in some ways, ugly) when it comes to national sports competitions, but this connection seems particularly weak (and kind of desperate).

[Tacoma]

…
Honestly, the way they were talking, I’d almost expect CMB to be brought up ahead of Barnes…

Don’t write this thought off. They both have similar strengths & weaknesses but CMB appears to have very good work ethic/intensity vs. Barnes’ more laissez-faire/easygoing personality.

It’s going to be up Barnes but at current trajectory, I’d not be shocked if CMB becomes the better player in a few years.

on the court Barnes does not have a lissez-faire personality. It's always fascinating how ppl can see the same things & come away with totally different perspectives. Maybe off the court that term may fit Scotty, definitely not on the court

What I saw has been a tendency for Barnes to let the game come to him until the 4th Q. It would be great if he puts in as much effort for most if not the full game and not just in the last quarter. He should look at how Lowry approaches the game.

[ConSarnit]

Don’t write this thought off. They both have similar strengths & weaknesses but CMB appears to have very good work ethic/intensity vs. Barnes’ more laissez-faire/easygoing personality.

It’s going to be up Barnes but at current trajectory, I’d not be shocked if CMB becomes the better player in a few years.

on the court Barnes does not have a lissez-faire personality. It's always fascinating how ppl can see the same things & come away with totally different perspectives. Maybe off the court that term may fit Scotty, definitely not on the court

What I saw has been a tendency for Barnes to let the game come to him until the 4th Q. It would be great if he puts in as much effort for most if not the full game and not just in the last quarter. He should look at how Lowry approaches the game.

Just breaking down the raw numbers over that last 2 seasons and it doesn't seem like he does anything all that different quarter to quarter outside of one thing: he pretty much doubles his FGA inside of 10 feet in 4th quarters. He's not taking any more shots, creating more assists or really rebounding more he just gets more aggressive going to the rim.

He has the ability to make a more concerted effort to attack the rim (which ups both his TS% and free throw rate). If he could do this consistently the concerns many have about his efficiency would dissipate quickly.

[Merit]

…
Honestly, the way they were talking, I’d almost expect CMB to be brought up ahead of Barnes…

Don’t write this thought off. They both have similar strengths & weaknesses but CMB appears to have very good work ethic/intensity vs. Barnes’ more laissez-faire/easygoing personality.

It’s going to be up Barnes but at current trajectory, I’d not be shocked if CMB becomes the better player in a few years.

Shiny new toy!

[Merit]

I would rather he play for Jamaica and be featured. It's more transferrable than playing with a stacked team.

Not Jamaica.

Canada

I’ve seen people in the chat tell Scottie to play for Canada during his twitch streams before and he always just says his goal is to make the US Olympic team. I don’t think he’s interested in playing for Canada tbh

Get a man angry enough and put a big enough chip on his shoulder and you’re gonna find out. I would say Canada > Jamaica and Scottie makes Canada better. Scottie would maybe help Jamaica to qualify for the olympics but Canada is just a far better fit for him.

[Merit]

I’m probably in the minority here, but why would anyone want Scottie to be on Team Canada?

Canada has nothing to do with who he is as a basketball player, and anything he did for the team would in no way represent Canadian basketball.

I know lines are kind of blurry (and in some ways, ugly) when it comes to national sports competitions, but this connection seems particularly weak (and kind of desperate).

He’s better than Trey Lyles and Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell etc.

If Scottie is a Canadian Citizen, it’s certainly not desperate. His wife is Canadian as is his kid. That’s a stronger tie than say members of the polish or Egyptian teams.

[Merit]

Don’t write this thought off. They both have similar strengths & weaknesses but CMB appears to have very good work ethic/intensity vs. Barnes’ more laissez-faire/easygoing personality.

It’s going to be up Barnes but at current trajectory, I’d not be shocked if CMB becomes the better player in a few years.

on the court Barnes does not have a lissez-faire personality. It's always fascinating how ppl can see the same things & come away with totally different perspectives. Maybe off the court that term may fit Scotty, definitely not on the court

What I saw has been a tendency for Barnes to let the game come to him until the 4th Q. It would be great if he puts in as much effort for most if not the full game and not just in the last quarter. He should look at how Lowry approaches the game.

I don’t think he does anything different other than being more aggressive in the 4th quarter. The fact that he’s willing to take on the responsibility of putting the team on his back says more about his character than the allegations of coasting you’re presenting. It’s pretty tough to coast when you’re a linchpin on defense as well.

[Merit]

on the court Barnes does not have a lissez-faire personality. It's always fascinating how ppl can see the same things & come away with totally different perspectives. Maybe off the court that term may fit Scotty, definitely not on the court

What I saw has been a tendency for Barnes to let the game come to him until the 4th Q. It would be great if he puts in as much effort for most if not the full game and not just in the last quarter. He should look at how Lowry approaches the game.

Just breaking down the raw numbers over that last 2 seasons and it doesn't seem like he does anything all that different quarter to quarter outside of one thing: he pretty much doubles his FGA inside of 10 feet in 4th quarters. He's not taking any more shots, creating more assists or really rebounding more he just gets more aggressive going to the rim.

He has the ability to make a more concerted effort to attack the rim (which ups both his TS% and free throw rate). If he could do this consistently the concerns many have about his efficiency would dissipate quickly.

I’d like to see him pick his spots and if I’m being fully transparent, see him have some thought as to where his spots are as opposed to trying to do it all. I firmly believe he’s going to look better with BI beside him.

[SharoneWright]

I would rather he play for Jamaica and be featured. It's more transferrable than playing with a stacked team.

Not Jamaica.

Canada

We need a center!

[Merit]

I would rather he play for Jamaica and be featured. It's more transferrable than playing with a stacked team.

Not Jamaica.

Canada

We need a center!

Zach doesn’t count?

[SharoneWright]

Not Jamaica.

Canada

We need a center!

Zach doesn’t count?

We also need a power forward!

[Merit]

We need a center!

Zach doesn’t count?

We also need a power forward!

Brandon Clarke?

[SharoneWright]

Zach doesn’t count?

We also need a power forward!

Brandon Clarke?

[CPT]

I’m probably in the minority here, but why would anyone want Scottie to be on Team Canada?

Canada has nothing to do with who he is as a basketball player, and anything he did for the team would in no way represent Canadian basketball.

I know lines are kind of blurry (and in some ways, ugly) when it comes to national sports competitions, but this connection seems particularly weak (and kind of desperate).

He’s better than Trey Lyles and Kelly Olynyk and Dwight Powell etc.

If Scottie is a Canadian Citizen, it’s certainly not desperate. His wife is Canadian as is his kid. That’s a stronger tie than say members of the polish or Egyptian teams.

Until that happens, talking about it comes across as desperate at best, and disrespectful to the players who actually came up in Canada at worst.

Sure, other countries do it, but that doesn't mean we have to stoop to their level. Jordan Loyd playing for Poland is a particularly ridiculous example.

It's a complicated subject, and a bit of a minefield, but I'd prefer national teams remain national and not an extension of NBA-style player movement.

[wegotthabeet]

If you listen to the conversation it makes a lot more sense.

I think both of them had a pretty locked in top 8 of Hali, Ant, JDub, Flagg, Paolo, Chet, Mobley, Amen. That list is pretty unimpeachable if you’re talking about Scottie getting in there. You’re free to argue any of them, but I think most people would write those names in pen.

Simmons had a self-imposed under-30 rule and was trying to “build a basketball team.” Guys 9-12 would be role players, happy to be there, etc. He had Trey Murphy and Kon (glue guys who can shoot), Cason Wallace (defensive guard), and Darryn Peterson (upside).

Lowe had more veterans (so his top 8 wasn’t as defined), including Tatum, Booker, Mitchell, and Cade.

A lot of the names mentioned as ridiculous were when Zach was trying to guess Bill’s last player (Peterson) under the premise it would be unexpected. They also mentioned a few more 3&D guys and bigs, as those are kind of the flex slots.

It’s a little weird that he wasn’t mentioned at all, but he’s just so far off of usurping one of those core guys because he doesn’t quite give you enough to offset the fact that you would have to cover for him with shooters.

Honestly, the way they were talking, I’d almost expect CMB to be brought up ahead of Barnes. If Barnes can make an all-defensive team this year, I’m sure he’d be back in the mix. It might even help him more than an All-Star nod.

That roster or the top 8 you listed is trash by American standards. That would be the worst collection of American players assembled since they lost to Argentina in 2004.

[dTox]

Is it really an insult? Barnes isn't exactly deserving of it based on his performance thus far

Sent from my Pixel 9 Pro using RealGM mobile app

[CPT]

If you listen to the conversation it makes a lot more sense.

I think both of them had a pretty locked in top 8 of Hali, Ant, JDub, Flagg, Paolo, Chet, Mobley, Amen. That list is pretty unimpeachable if you’re talking about Scottie getting in there. You’re free to argue any of them, but I think most people would write those names in pen.

Simmons had a self-imposed under-30 rule and was trying to “build a basketball team.” Guys 9-12 would be role players, happy to be there, etc. He had Trey Murphy and Kon (glue guys who can shoot), Cason Wallace (defensive guard), and Darryn Peterson (upside).

Lowe had more veterans (so his top 8 wasn’t as defined), including Tatum, Booker, Mitchell, and Cade.

A lot of the names mentioned as ridiculous were when Zach was trying to guess Bill’s last player (Peterson) under the premise it would be unexpected. They also mentioned a few more 3&D guys and bigs, as those are kind of the flex slots.

It’s a little weird that he wasn’t mentioned at all, but he’s just so far off of usurping one of those core guys because he doesn’t quite give you enough to offset the fact that you would have to cover for him with shooters.

Honestly, the way they were talking, I’d almost expect CMB to be brought up ahead of Barnes. If Barnes can make an all-defensive team this year, I’m sure he’d be back in the mix. It might even help him more than an All-Star nod.

That roster or the top 8 you listed is trash by American standards. That would be the worst collection of American players assembled since they lost to Argentina in 2004.

1. Okay?

2. Is that supposed to make me/us feel better or worse about Scottie not even being in consideration for it?

3. That probably won't be the actual lineup in 2028, but if it is, I'm sure you'll feel differently by then.

[The Duke]

He prolly shouldn’t be talked about for the US team. Hasn’t shown enough

[YogurtProducer]

If you listen to the conversation it makes a lot more sense.

I think both of them had a pretty locked in top 8 of Hali, Ant, JDub, Flagg, Paolo, Chet, Mobley, Amen. That list is pretty unimpeachable if you’re talking about Scottie getting in there. You’re free to argue any of them, but I think most people would write those names in pen.

Simmons had a self-imposed under-30 rule and was trying to “build a basketball team.” Guys 9-12 would be role players, happy to be there, etc. He had Trey Murphy and Kon (glue guys who can shoot), Cason Wallace (defensive guard), and Darryn Peterson (upside).

Lowe had more veterans (so his top 8 wasn’t as defined), including Tatum, Booker, Mitchell, and Cade.

A lot of the names mentioned as ridiculous were when Zach was trying to guess Bill’s last player (Peterson) under the premise it would be unexpected. They also mentioned a few more 3&D guys and bigs, as those are kind of the flex slots.

It’s a little weird that he wasn’t mentioned at all, but he’s just so far off of usurping one of those core guys because he doesn’t quite give you enough to offset the fact that you would have to cover for him with shooters.

Honestly, the way they were talking, I’d almost expect CMB to be brought up ahead of Barnes. If Barnes can make an all-defensive team this year, I’m sure he’d be back in the mix. It might even help him more than an All-Star nod.

That roster or the top 8 you listed is trash by American standards. That would be the worst collection of American players assembled since they lost to Argentina in 2004.

Well, good thing that list has 3 years to improve, and there will be other risers who will join them.

If in 2021 I told you that the USA team would include White, Holiday, Haliburton, etc. and they'd need 35 year old Curry and 39 year old Lebron to carry them you'd likely say the same thing. But either way, Bill + Zach are on crack if that is there "locked in" 8.

Hali - Yes, lock
Ant - Yes, lock
JDub - far from a lock. This is classic "just won a title" bias.
Flagg - seems likely to be a lock
Paolo - not a lock
Chet - not a lock
Mobley - probably the best young big, so probably a lock
Amen - what?

IDK how they have those 5 guys as locks, but no Mitchell? Booker? Tatum? And then you still would have some other 2024 guys like Davis who might still be going.

IMO - if Barnes goes out and has a solid few years as an all-defensive type role player, he has a very good change of making that team as a backup 4 man. Team USA has shown to take role players over stars before (Jrue/White over guys like Brunson for example), and I could see a future case where you prefer a Scottie Barnes over a Paolo simply due to an ability to play a role, not necessarily because they're better.