Al Jefferson and Kevin Love invited to Olympic squad!

Post #1 » by **Calinks** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 5:38 pm

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... 7_invites/

Rounding out the list of Olympians on the national squad roster are 2004 Olympic bronze medalists Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers) and Amar’e Stoudemire (Phoenix Suns). Completing the list of National Team players are LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers); Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets); Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); Eric Gordon (Los Angeles Clippers); Danny Granger (Indiana Pacers); Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers); Al Jefferson (Minnesota Timberwolves); David Lee (New York Knicks); Brook Lopez (New Jersey Nets); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves); O.J. Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies); Kendrick Perkins (Boston Celtics); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); Gerald Wallace (Charlotte Bobcats) and Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder).

Arooooooooo!

shrink · Post #2 » by **shrink** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:00 pm

Teams with two invitees.

Kobe Bryant (Los Angeles Lakers); Lamar Odom (Los Angeles Lakers)
Carmelo Anthony (Denver Nuggets), Chauncey Billups (Denver Nuggets)
Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz) and Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)
Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies); OJ Mayo (Memphis Grizzlies)
Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder); Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Al Jefferson (Minnesota Timberwolves); Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)

(bold indicates Olympics (often older)

Teams with zero: SAC, GSW, DAL, HOU, SA, MIL ATL, DET, WAS

I think this is an indication that the Wolves are not in such bad shape for the future.

shrink · Post #3 » by **shrink** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:02 pm

Do you think Olympic rules and a trapezoid lane are advantages for our Wolves invitees?

JR Rider · Post #4 » by **JR Rider** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:17 pm

lol every team in our division would have 2 invites if brandon roy, arguably the best player in our division was invited...........

maybe he wasn't invited because of the national anthem speculation that surrounds him (purely unjustified inference)...

Vega06 · Post #5 » by **Vega06** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:21 pm

I think Love's rebounding, shooting, passing, and toughness fits in well with them. Love next to a guy like Howard would be scary good.

Foye · Post #6 » by **Foye** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:23 pm

Cool that they get some recognition for their work.

Post #7 » by **Calinks** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:26 pm

Yep and when we get Gay, we will have three players with invites!

Post #8 » by **C.lupus** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:33 pm

Vega06 wrote:I think Love's rebounding, shooting, passing, and toughness fits in well with them. Love next to a guy like Howard would be scary good.

Ageed. I'd like to see a big rotation like:
Howard/Perkins/Lopez
Love/Boozer

nice combination of size, rebounding, defense, and scoring (and you really don't need high-octane scorers at every position anyway).

It will never happen, though. They'll pick Amare because he's athletic.

Vega06 · Post #9 » by **Vega06** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:33 pm

Plus Rubio on Spain's team. Dynasty?

cpfsf · Post #10 » by **cpfsf** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:33 pm

Bryant be at 33 (will almost be 34 by the time the games end) and Wade will be 30. I wish we had another true center (Lopez?). If Oden lived up to the hype we'd have a scary team, but Stoudemire, Lopez, and Bosh aren't bad alternatives. We've got pretty much the best team we could have asked for, although Roy wasn't invited because he showed no interest in the past (although he really wants to play now).

Notable guys not invited: Noah, Horford (he was born in Dominican Republic, but played with the US select team in the past), Evans, Wall, Ellis, Griffin, Roy, Turner. I understand Turner, Griffin, and Wall not playing because of health or draft concerns, but they could at least attend the meetings just to show that they are dedicated to the program.

I really wish Roy could play

Vega06 · Post #11 » by **Vega06** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:37 pm

Love's defense, especially on the perimeter, isn't good enough to start on that team. Doesn't Carmelo start at PF for them?

cpfsf · Post #12 » by **cpfsf** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:37 pm

shrink wrote:Teams with zero: SAC, GSW, DAL, HOU, SA, MIL ATL, DET, WAS

I think this is an indication that the Wolves are not in such bad shape for the future.

To be fair most of those teams have international stars

Vega06 wrote:Love's defense, especially on the perimeter, isn't good enough to start on that team. Doesn't Carmelo start at PF for them?

Yup, which makes me wonder would they make Anthony come off the bench so Bosh could start.

Here's my roster prediction

Paul Williams Rose
Bryant Wade
James Anthony Durant
Bosh Stoudemire
Howard Lopez

I'd assume Lopez and Rose would not be logging heavy minutes.

Vega06 · Post #13 » by **Vega06** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:40 pm

"If it ain't broke..."

cpfsf · Post #14 » by **cpfsf** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:45 pm

Vega06 wrote:"If it ain't broke..."

In this case I'd consider tinkering. In 4 years a lot can happen. We won't have Kidd, Prince, or Redd (I can live with that). This year we could add Stoudemire and Lopez in addition to Boozer, Howard, Anthony, and Bosh. I really wouldn't imagine Lopez logging in heavy minutes (neither would Rose or Durant), so I think Anthony would be playing both small forward and power forward so Durant could primarily be a small forward. But again, that's just my prediction. I'd be happy if a lot of those guys were added.

mnWI · Post #15 » by **mnWI** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 6:48 pm

shrink wrote:Do you think Olympic rules and a trapezoid lane are advantages for our Wolves invitees?

No, but I would say the FIBA rules on low post defense and no defensive three seconds would be.

Post #16 » by **Basti** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:40 pm

mnWI wrote:
shrink wrote:Do you think Olympic rules and a trapezoid lane are advantages for our Wolves invitees?

No, but I would say the FIBA rules on low post defense and no defensive three seconds would be.

when are they going to change trapezoid lane into a rectangle like they are using it in the NBA? isn't it supposed to happen this summer?

Post #17 » by **Basti** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 8:42 pm

and as I said months ago, Love is sooooooo much better suited for playing the FIBA game than Al is. not that I'm opposed to them being invited. just saying. I wouldn't be surprised if Al is one of the first to be to cut.

mnWI · Post #18 » by **mnWI** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:03 pm

basti wrote:
mnWI wrote:
shrink wrote:Do you think Olympic rules and a trapezoid lane are advantages for our Wolves invitees?

No, but I would say the FIBA rules on low post defense and no defensive three seconds would be.

when are they going to change trapezoid lane into a rectangle like they are using it in the NBA? isn't it supposed to happen this summer?

After the World Championships. They will officially be in effect October of this year for all the top level FIBA competitions. If anything it'll make Team USA a lot better having the rectangle lane, longer three point line, and restricted area in the paint. I'm curious to see which competitions don't qualify for this change right away. For mid level competitions, the rule change won't take place until after the 2012 Olympics in London.

_AIJ_ · Post #19 » by **_AIJ_** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:30 pm

Why cant Roy play?

Post #20 » by **Klomp** » Wed Feb 10, 2010 10:42 pm

1. In Olympic ball, we are usually better going small. IMO Love would play some C.