Team USA Basketball

#1

n_huffhines

What's it gonna cost?
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#1
With Lebron leaving the team, I'm wondering who others are wanting/expecting to see on the 2016 team.

I'll post my team.

Also, mods can we make it so this thread sticks around. It's going to be one we want to revisit over the years. I swear we had one, but I couldn't find it. It seems in the NBA forum we permanently kill a lot of threads.
 
#2
#2
Guards:
S Curry
D Rose
K Irving
Westbrook (though I prefer Conley or Rondo, too many score-first PGs for an all-star squad)
J Harden

Wings:
K Durant
P George
K Leonard

Bigs:
J Noah (not sure he would play for US?)
A Drummond
K Love
A Davis

If no Noah then I want K Faried.
 
#6
#6
Guards:
S Curry
D Rose
K Irving
Westbrook (though I prefer Conley or Rondo, too many score-first PGs for an all-star squad)
J Harden

Wings:
K Durant
P George
K Leonard

Bigs:
J Noah (not sure he would play for US?)
A Drummond
K Love
A Davis

If no Noah then I want K Faried.

I like the Faried pick. I would take out Love and add another wing. George/Leonard/Durant can play the 4
 
#7
#7
They can, but do you really need another wing in there with those guards? Love can bust 3s and rebound.

Part of Love's value is he takes a big body defender out of the paint with his shooting ability. This defender is likely too slow to provide any meaningful help D opening up things up for the guards. If they try to put a wing on Love he'll just take them in the paint. He's the only guy on the roster who can give teams this matchup problem.
 
#8
#8
PG Irving/Rose/Westbrook/Conley
SG Harden/Curry
SF George/Leonard
PF Durant/Love
C Davis/Hibbert/Howard
 
#10
#10
I would imagine he will. He already said he wants to play for Toronto. I hope he does. Canadian basketball needs a shot in the arm.
 
#11
#11
PG Irving/Rose/Westbrook/Conley
SG Harden/Curry
SF George/Leonard
PF Durant/Love
C Davis/Hibbert/Howard

Good squad. I kinda doubt Howard would play, but maybe. Hibbert is very likely to make the team Being one of the only offensive-leaning American centers.
 
#12
#12
They can, but do you really need another wing in there with those guards? Love can bust 3s and rebound.

Part of Love's value is he takes a big body defender out of the paint with his shooting ability. This defender is likely too slow to provide any meaningful help D opening up things up for the guards. If they try to put a wing on Love he'll just take them in the paint. He's the only guy on the roster who can give teams this matchup problem.

His D sucks too much for international play . He struggled in 2010 guarding stretch 4's. having a Durant or George does the same exact thing while adding D and athleticism. Durant can also play in the post.
 
#13
#13
I think the rebounding he gives you is more important than the D you miss out on. Pick your poison, though. Going with Durant or Love probably makes little difference as long as we have a center.

In 2012 We would play long stretches without a 4 or a 5 in the game. If we at least have a quality 5, we can afford to play Durant at the 4. If we're trying to play Faried at the 5 (like the Nuggets, or like team USA did with Lebron) we may run into some trouble.
 
#14
#14
I think the rebounding he gives you is more important than the D you miss out on. Pick your poison, though. Going with Durant or Love probably makes little difference as long as we have a center.

In 2012 We would play long stretches without a 4 or a 5 in the game. If we at least have a quality 5, we can afford to play Durant at the 4. If we're trying to play Faried at the 5 (like the Nuggets, or like team USA did with Lebron) we may run into some trouble.

If you go with a Davis/Drummond center combo,add Faried, and have a George/Durant SF combo, then I think Love's rebounding value goes way down.
 
#15
#15
He's a much better rebounder than any of them, but they're still better than the competition they'd face, so I agree we'd be OK.
 
#16
#16
Hibbert is Jamaican. Pretty sure Noah plays for France too.

Cousins will have a shot if his head is on straight. I really want to see Aldridge as well, but he'll be too old.
 
#18
#18
Also, I know people think Griffin is nothing but a dunker, but he would have been on the team last year and likely will in three years barring injury.
 
#19
#19
I like Griffin. Especially on a team where you don't need more than rebounding and efficient scoring out of the 4. Versatility is overrated, especially on a team with guys who are versatile.
 
#23
#23
Just read Jack Mackullum's Dream Team. Wondering if anybody else has read it and their thoughts? It was pretty good and I really enjoyed certain parts. Didn't remember the Lithuanian team and ther Grateful Dead tees. That was my favorite part.

Author claimed that Stockton was the first guy to counter the high double team by splitting it.
 
#24
#24
Just read Jack Mackullum's Dream Team. Wondering if anybody else has read it and their thoughts? It was pretty good and I really enjoyed certain parts. Didn't remember the Lithuanian team and ther Grateful Dead tees. That was my favorite part.

Author claimed that Stockton was the first guy to counter the high double team by splitting it.

I have the book on my kindle, but I haven't read much of if.
 
#25
#25
PG- Paul/Westbrook/Curry
SG- George/Harden(instant O off the bench ala Wade in '08)
SF- Durant/Leonard
PF- Love/Aldridge
C- Davis/Hibbert/Drummond

Would have no issue with the insertion of Conley or Rose if Paul decides not to play
This also doesn't account for the potential emergence of Jabari Parker, Julius Randle, Victor Oladipo, Marcus Smart, etc.
Lastly, I'll admit like Bilas I'm a fan of length and athleticism hence why I got slotted George at the 2.
 

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