Team Canada Basketball Thread

[arbsn]

You may see more names but it won't be NBA guys. Let's just say the list isn't a full commitment.

Are they allowed to add names?

[Undefeated]

At this point all I can say is it's a bit unorganized. I hope more info comes out from others...

[Mattd97]

Where's Ha! when we need him....
sounds like undefeated meant that just because someone is on a list doesn't mean they've given a full commitment. And that's frightening.

As for the roster as is, Boucher scares me as a main contributor. Really inexperienced and the teams were playing will be crafty old veterans. we can still qualify, but it's going to be very difficult.

[mojo13]

Where's Ha! when we need him....
sounds like undefeated meant that just because someone is on a list doesn't mean they've given a full commitment. And that's frightening.

As for the roster as is, Boucher scares me as a main contributor. Really inexperienced and the teams were playing will be crafty old veterans. we can still qualify, but it's going to be very difficult.

very slim chance to qualify. The Euro teams are so much better in terms of FIBA experience and cohesion - let alone systems and coaching. The only way we can compete is if we have far superior talent. Overwhelm better "teams" with raw talent like we saw in much of the FIBA Americas.

It would be an epic upset at this point for us to beat France. We are a dog to Turkey as well. I even think we will be an underdog to the Philippines with this team.

[Mirotic12]

It's being reported that Khem Birch got a contract offer from a Euroleague team. Up until now it was just reports of teams considering him, but no actual contract offers. The report is that he finally got a Euroleague offer from Olympiacos for 2 years.

But the contract offer seems to be dependent on if Okaro White, who Olympiacos also offered a contract to, gets a contract offer from the Dallas Mavericks. White is their first choice, but he's training with the Mavs, trying to get a deal from them or from another NBA team. So Birch's deal seems to be tied to that for the moment at least.

Anyway so now Birch and Pangos have at least the chance to be in big Euroleague teams next year (Pangos - Panathinaikos, Birch - Olympiacos). The reports are saying Pangos would be the 4th to 5th guard on Panathinaikos' depth chart, and that Birch would be the 2nd or 3rd center on Olympiacos' depth chart. He would be the 2nd center, if they can send Nikola Milutinov (Spurs first round draft pick) on loan to another Euroleague team, which is said to be likely to happen. If not, Birch would be the alternating 2nd or 3rd center of the team, depending on match ups.

[mojo13]

You may see more names but it won't be NBA guys. Let's just say the list isn't a full commitment.

Are they allowed to add names?

this is a good point. I thought a list of 24 names give or take had to be given to FIBA a week or so ago and no changes were allowed to be made.

[slothrop8]

You may see more names but it won't be NBA guys. Let's just say the list isn't a full commitment.

Are they allowed to add names?

this is a good point. I thought a list of 24 names give or take had to be given to FIBA a week or so ago and no changes were allowed to be made.

Could they include names on their list to FIBA that are not on the training camp invite list? There are 5-6 names on the training camp list that are pretty certain not to be on the team. Perhaps the camp list is to have bodies for camp - and the FIBA list went in with some guys who they hope will have contracts resolved by the time the tournament starts. Bachynski, Birch, and Pangos would make me fell better about this team's chances of at least being competitive - another shooter and some desperately needed front court bodies.

[frumble]

[quote="Undefeated"]You may see more names but it won't be NBA guys. Let's just say the list isn't a full commitment.[/quote

You mean the guys on the initial list aren't necessarily committed? Or the initial list doesn't fully represent those who are likely to commit?

I suppose the former is more likely, and wouldn't surprise me. The lack of commitment from other NBA guys might be contagious. Certainly a bit of herd mentality is to be expected. And if its looking like a lost cause, I can see some guys on the list bailing.

Any reports at all leaking out of the first few days of camp? Other than a tweet from NPH that Alexander has been "WOWING Canada Basketball" and a brief clip of Heslip shooting some threes, I haven't heard anything.

[frumble]

Are they allowed to add names?

this is a good point. I thought a list of 24 names give or take had to be given to FIBA a week or so ago and no changes were allowed to be made.

Could they include names on their list to FIBA that are not on the training camp invite list? There are 5-6 names on the training camp list that are pretty certain not to be on the team. Perhaps the camp list is to have bodies for camp - and the FIBA list went in with some guys who they hope will have contracts resolved by the time the tournament starts. Bachynski, Birch, and Pangos would make me fell better about this team's chances of at least being competitive - another shooter and some desperately needed front court bodies.

Yes, I thought Barrett and Alexander were at camp just to give them some experience, and to give the team some bodies for practice. Maybe also Hinz and Johnson. So the FIBA list of 24 may only include 15 or so names from the camp, and there could be 9 or so guys on the FIBA list that are not on the camp list.

E.g., Hanlan's season wrapped up only a couple days before the list came out, so maybe he needed some time to rest and/or make a decision, before coming to camp.

[frumble]

The FIBA article on Canada's training camp list notes that Powell could still join the team.

http://www.fiba.com/oqt/philippines/2016/news/joseph-set-to-be-one-of-the-star-attractions-in-canada-oqt-squad

Given the team's lack of scoring, especially up front, that could be significant.

[aminiaturebuddha]

The FIBA article on Canada's training camp list notes that Powell could still join the team.

http://www.fiba.com/oqt/philippines/2016/news/joseph-set-to-be-one-of-the-star-attractions-in-canada-oqt-squad

Given the team's lack of scoring, especially up front, that could be significant.

Absolutely, that could make a huge difference. With Olynyk out with injury, any one of Lyles, Powell or Nicholson would automatically become our only real front court offensive threat and help diversify the offense enormously. Even though he just completed his rookie year, I tend to think that Lyles is the best of them, but Powell would be much better than nothing.

As for other non-NBA names, I would love for Pangos and Birch to suddenly become available.

[strudel forever]

To Americans, who could field 20 different lineups and still be considered the favourites, you simply don't understand.

I'm a Wolves fan, so I understand just fine how it is to have a team pretty much exercising futility for years and on a much bigger stage (the NBA).

I get it, you care that some people from the same generally area as you put a ball through a ring for your honor. I do not. Whether I were in Canada, the US, Argentina, or whatever I still wouldn't care about these lesser tournies. They are meaningless.

Just because I don't care about play outside of the NBA, doesn't mean I don't understand your point, I just think it's meaningless to care this much about something that doesn't matter at all in the grand scheme of things (even in terms of basketball).

It's not worth the time to put negative thoughts towards this stuff.

.

You can't claim that international competition is 'meaningless', while professional leagues aren't. What kind of profound 'meaning' or grand scheme are you even talking about? We're talking about a kid's game here. This isn't the LHC finding some new earth shattering fundamental particle. Whether a player is playing for a salary, national pride, or some other form of personal gain is his/her prerogative and not yours. Meanwhile, you're not even playing the game. You're just watching, because it's fun.

[Oakville_Raptor]

I lost a lot of respect for Stauskas for not playing...did he basically give up on his basketball career and decide to become a TSN analyst instead? Dude has legit no excuse for not suiting up for Canada.

[northernpuppy]

I lost a lot of respect for Stauskas for not playing...did he basically give up on his basketball career and decide to become a TSN analyst instead? Dude has legit no excuse for not suiting up for Canada.

If anyone needs to regain his confidence, it's this kid. There's almost no excuse, barring major injury. Even if his NBA career is about to fade, playing with CB and showing loyalty will keep him playing ball while he goes overseas. He's getting some real bad advise from those close to him.

[UcanUwill]

I feel bad for Canada fans. There is no worse feeling when you know your national pool has talent to be really good, but players just declining. I know that feeling.

[frumble]

Weren't yesterday's training camp sessions supposed to be open to the media?
I have seen no reports or even tweets from the Globe, Star, Sun, TSN, Sportsnet, Hoops Hype, NPH, or anyone else.

All the old media are at the Finals and the new media are too busy promoting their own ventures?

If the media don't care (which is presumably a reflection of the public not caring), why should the players care?

[StevieWonderMic]

I hope they make it through without them. And I don't want the thompsons/wigggins/stauskus to play on the Olympic team.
It shows the lack of competitiveness. Bun those guys. Unless its a matter of they don't share the same philosophies of the coaching staff etc. Who knows. They shoulda took care of business vs Venezuela but oh well.
I'm pulling for guys like Bennett, Powell, Nicholson and Joseph. Let them grow and themselves. Stauskus should reconsider tho, this is good experience.

[mojo13]

I lost a lot of respect for Stauskas for not playing...did he basically give up on his basketball career and decide to become a TSN analyst instead? Dude has legit no excuse for not suiting up for Canada.

If anyone needs to regain his confidence, it's this kid. There's almost no excuse, barring major injury. Even if his NBA career is about to fade, playing with CB and showing loyalty will keep him playing ball while he goes overseas. He's getting some real bad advise from those close to him.

Ya - I don't really agree with this. Stuaskas has a good excuse depending on how you look at it.
Look - his career is in big trouble, and it seems painfully obvious that he is just too immature and weak for the NBA. He cant take the contact, gets pushed around and he cant get his shot off against better NBA athletes. He really needs to work on his body first and foremost. He is still a skinny little kid who plays scared out there. 10 -20 pounds of muscle may give him the confidence to play through contact and use his body better on both ends of the floor. Dedicating this summer solely to radically improving his body may be the only thing than can save his NBA career.
Playing for Canada against weaker FIBA competition didn't help him last year so why bother doing it again at this critical junction in his career? It is time to work on the obvious problem or he is done. He is already defending himself by posting pics of his multiple times a day workouts on Twitter.

[StevieWonderMic]

Weren't yesterday's training camp sessions supposed to be open to the media?
I have seen no reports or even tweets from the Globe, Star, Sun, TSN, Sportsnet, Hoops Hype, NPH, or anyone else.

All the old media are at the Finals and the new media are too busy promoting their own ventures?

If the media don't care (which is presumably a reflection of the public not caring), why should the players care?

The media are dick riders and shameless self promoters, yes men and women. They suck so hard at their jobs. Lewenberg is alright. The rest, meh.

[frumble]

Ya - I don't really agree with this. Stuaskas has a good excuse depending on how you look at it.
Look - his career is in big trouble, and it seems painfully obvious that he is just too immature and weak for the NBA. He cant take the contact, gets pushed around and he cant get his shot off against better NBA athletes. He really needs to work on his body first and foremost. He is still a skinny little kid who plays scared out there. 10 -20 pounds of muscle may give him the confidence to play through contact and use his body better on both ends of the floor. Dedicating this summer solely to radically improving his body may be the only thing than can save his NBA career.
Playing for Canada against weaker FIBA competition didn't help him last year so why bother doing it again at this critical junction in his career? It is time to work on the obvious problem or he is done. He is already defending himself by posting pics of his multiple times a day workouts on Twitter.

I agree that his career is in big trouble, and that he needs to work on some things to stick in the NBA.

But I am not convinced that playing for Canada this summer wouldn't help him in this respect.

His off-season is 5.5 months long. Playing for Canada in the qualifier, counting camp, travel, exhibition games, and the actual games, is a one-month commitment (June 11 to July 10). It would still leave him 4.5 months to dedicate to working with his trainer, or doing whatever else he plans on doing. I would think an 80/20 mix of that and actual games/practices would be a better bet than just working out 100% of the time.

The media are dick riders and shameless self promoters, yes men and women. They suck so hard at their jobs. Lewenberg is alright. The rest, meh.

Lewenberg has an article re the team today, but it contains the same sloppy line of thinking I have seen in so many places:

"Their time was never supposed to be 2016 ... It's the 2020 Tokyo Olympics they have circled, and with good reason. While Joseph, Thompson, and Olynyk will all be approaching 30, Wiggins will be in his prime, Murray will have gotten his feet wet in the NBA and emerging teenager R.J. Barrett ... will be 20."

First, qualifying for 2020 will be very difficult given that most spots will be based on performance in the 2019 Worlds. Qualifying for the 2019 Worlds is determined by home and home games played during nine-day windows in November 2017, February 2018, June 2018, September 2018, November 2018, and February 2019.

Five of those six windows take place during the NBA season/playoffs, and five take place when NCAA players needs to be on campus. So if we qualify, it will be on the efforts of our foreign league players (if they are allowed, and willing, to participate). Murray and Wiggins only get a shot at the Olympics if Pangos, Birch, Bachynski, etc. are granted permission by their teams, decide to show up, and are able to get the job done.

Second, basketball players peak around age 24. The majority of our core are closer to 24 now than they will be in 2020. Olynyk, Thompson, Nicholson, Powell, Sacre, Joseph, Heslip, Ejim, and Stauskas fall into this category.

Only Wiggins, Lyles, and Ennis do not.

I doubt at age 20 or 21 Barrett or Shi-ttu will be ready to make a meaningful contribution. So, qualification issues aside, it is not clear that we will be any stronger in 2020 than we would be in 2016.

So I give Lewenberg credit for getting an article up, but, like so many others, he appears to be unaware of the qualification format changes, and seems to be buying the low expectations statements put out by Nash and Triano.