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You're gonna need to cut someone for a shooter like Michael Redd.
There will be no training camp tryouts and decisions will be announced within a few days.
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/...ory?id=3436102
If it were my team to choose, I'd make cutting Jason Kidd a priority. It will be a damn shame if he wins out over Deron, CP3 or even Billups at this point.
My twelve:
Deron Williams
Chris Paul
Billups
Kobe
Mike Miller
LeBron James
Crymelo
Tayshaun Prince
Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard
Tyson Chandler
Boozer or Amare (Really those two just makes me wish Tim Duncan didn't hate the idea of playing for his country)
You're gonna need to cut someone for a shooter like Michael Redd.
I doubt they cut Kidd as I think they were really sold on the leadership he brought to the team last year. If they cut a PG, it's proabably going to be Williams.
I'd say carmelo since he's a drunk thug, but he's played so well in international compe ion that it's hard to pull the trigger. I don't see anybody else really besides Mike Miller, but he's a shooter too... Or just carry two pg's in Paul/Williams. They're far better than anyone else anyway.
They'd better not cut Deron or I'll turn into a jihadi. If they decide Kidd's leadership is worth it then Billups should be the one to go.
Its real good to have both Redd and Miller in it. Shooters is what we were lacking when we got 3rd last time.
Shooters are not nearly as important when you have talent like Kobe and LeBron on the team. I agree Jason Kidd is probably still on the team unless he takes himself off the team.
Here's my team:
Jason Kidd / Chris Paul
Kobe Bryant / Dwyane Wade / Joe Johnson
LeBron James / Tayshaun Prince or Shane Battier
Carmelo Anthony / Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard / Amare Stoudemire / Tyson Chandler
Looks good Jamstone, but I'd add Deron to the list and take off Dwayne Wade.
But shooters are exactly what was wrong with the LeBronze team. Miller and Redd were stroking it last year.
Shooting matters to an extent. Kobe, Carmelo, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson are all very good shooters. Tayshaun or Shane Battier and Amare Stoudemire are above average shooters. And, LeBron and Wade are more than capable of shooting FIBA rules three-point shots.
The Bronze team lacked talent as well as outside shooting. Because of the lack of talent, the shooting problems were more pronounced. Iverson and Duncan are great players and were the only players you could count on for consistent performance on that team. The rest of the team were athletes, not basketball players. That's why the lack of shooting became more of a problem. Plus, their starting point guard was Stephon Marbury. That's all you need to know right there.
This year's Team USA with Kobe and LeBron already have more options offensively because of what they can do on an individual level. Plus, they have real point guards with Kidd and Paul.
Coach K already made it known last year that if Wade wants to be on the team, he will be on the team. His spot is assured.
I'm sure Tim Duncan has nothing against playing for his country, and has a lot against playing for the filth that runs USA Basketball.
I understand that, but the people at the top have changed directly because of the experience Duncan went through in 2004. Coach K and Colangelo aren't exactly filth. Other players were willing to forgive and forget in the name of reparation, I don't see why he can't. He's the best big man in the game, it isn't even close actually and it sucks were going to have the chump-ass know as Carlos Boozer there instead.
We'll have to agree to disagree. IMO, Kobe, Carmelo, Chris Bosh, Joe Johnson are all very good scorers. When i mean shooters, i mean those like Ray Allen, Mike Miller, Michael Redd, Kapono etc. Guys who are there mainly for there outside shot.
You need a team of balance and that includes Role players. Guys that play D and guys that can shoot. I know Wade is guaranteed a spot, but I don't like him on this team. You already have Lebron and Kobe for the slashing aspect. You need consistant outside shooters. That's why I pick Deron as he's tougher and can play better on ball D as well. If Kobe wasn't playing, then yes, Dwade for sure, but I don't like him on this team and it probably won't matter anyways.
Wade should not have a spot. I agree, he will get one.
How about Finley and Jacques Vaughn
He doesn't play in the Olympics because of FIBA.
Also Im sure the way Colangelo screwed over Pop, pretty much a father figure to Duncan, had quite a bit to do with it too.
I don't think there's many changes I'd make from the 2007 FIBA Americas team. The only change I can see would be adding Dwyane Wade, which probably means Mike Miller won't make it. I thought Kidd was one of the biggest reasons why that team was so successful in the 07 FIBA Americas. I read somewhere that the brains behind USA basketball really like the big point guards for international play which leads me to believe that Chris Paul will be left off the team. Boozer doesn't deserve it and I hope he doesn't get picked.
This would be my team...
PG - Kidd/Deron/Billups
SG - Kobe/Wade/Redd
SF - LeBron/Melo/Prince
PF - Amare
C - Howard/Chandler
Final Team USA Spots: Yesterday USA Basketball Managing Director Jerry Colangelo indicated there will not be time for tryouts when the team gets together in Las Vegas at the end of July for their final prep before the Olympics in Beijing.
The first 10 spots seem locked down: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Jason Kidd, Dwight Howard, Chauncey Billups, Deron Williams, Michael Redd, Tyson Chandler, Carmelo Anthony, Tayshaun Prince and/or Mike Miller (a decision may need to be made there as well).
The final two spots will likely come down to Amare Stoudemire, Chris Bosh, Chris Paul and Dwyane Wade. If Wade is healthy and wants to play, he's likely in. Stoudemire has said he wanted to see how his body felt before committing, but Colangelo and the USA coaches may not be willing to work with that at ude.
If Stoudemire is not on the team, Bosh is a shoo-in because the team wants another guard and another forward. Surprisingly after Chris Paul's outstanding season, the team would probably prefer Wade this summer if he's healthy. They already have three point guards and Wade was very effective last summer at the Tournament of the Americas in scoring points. Paul can do that too, but it means the US team would probably be playing a lot of three guard lineups.
In international play that's probably a good thing, as long as those guards can rebound a little and the big guys who are out there can be dominant on the glass.
http://www.hoopsworld.com/Story.asp?story_id=9039
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