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Its a joke starting Kidd at point over Paul or Williams, and joe johnson should be on the team.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/column...t&lid=tab4pos1
Team USA update: Who will make the Beijing roster?
By Chris Sheridan
The plan has changed for Team USA as the countdown to Beijing can now be tallied in weeks rather than months.
Tryouts in Las Vegas for the final two or three roster spots are out, suddenly deemed impractical and unfair.
Bringing an extra big man may be out, too, although that decision is still being debated at the highest levels of USA Basketball.
And going young seems to have an edge over going old as Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski and managing director Jerry Colangelo whittle down the roster to choose the 12 players who will don red, white and blue this summer in an attempt to end the eight-year gold medal drought that has changed the landscape of international basketball.
"We're at 13 or 14 right now," Colangelo told ESPN.com. "The bottom line is: When we pick the 12, we're going to war with those 12."
Colangelo said the roster should be finalized and announced sometime between June 20 and 25, and the team will report to Las Vegas for a team meeting on June 27 and a practice on June 28 before the official 12-man roster is submitted to the United States Olympic Committee on July 1.
The Americans will also list six alternates, but USOC and IOC rules make it extremely difficult to alter the 12-man roster afterward unless one of the 12 sustains a verifiable injury.
The U.S. team's main training camp begins in Las Vegas on July 20. It plays an exhibition against Canada on July 25 and boards a commercial flight to Asia on July 26, not to set foot again on American soil until the gold medal winner has been determined.
So who's going?
And whose stock has risen and fallen since the Americans dominated the Tournament of the Americas last summer?
Here's a look at how ESPN.com is handicapping the roster race, from those who are locks to those on the bubble to those on the national team's full 33-man roster who are completely out of the picture, based upon conversations with USA Basketball officials and sources throughout the NBA:
LOCKS
Carmelo Anthony
Pencil him in -- no, go ahead and use indelible ink -- as the starting power forward.
He was Team USA's most consistent performer two years ago at the World Championship in Japan, and again last summer in Vegas, where he admitted he enjoys FIBA basketball more than NBA basketball.
Carlos Boozer
He brings a physical, low-post offensive game that will be utilized against opponents who will be able to slow the pace and make it a battle of half-court sets.
The none-too-proud owner of a bronze medal from 2004, Boozer is one of four or five Athens Olympics veterans who will be taking another shot at the gold.
Chris Bosh
With the Americans short on big men -- especially if Tyson Chandler does not make the final 12, he could end up as the default backup center behind Dwight Howard.
And given Howard's shaky free-throw shooting, Bosh could be the center Americans will have to use if they find themselves in a tight fourth quarter.
Kobe Bryant
That banged-up pinky will remain banged up until the end of August, because Bryant has said nothing is going to keep him from his quest to restore American dominance to the world of international basketball.
If last summer is a precursor, Bryant will ask for and receive the defensive assignment of guarding each opponent's best perimeter player.
Dwight Howard
A prediction: If the Americans go with only three traditional bigs, there will come a game against a physical opponent in which a referee with an agenda (go ask Tim Duncan if this ever happens in FIBA compe ions) will whistle him for three quick fouls, forcing the U.S. team to play Bosh or Boozer in the middle.
LeBron James
Speaks more Mandarin than anyone else on the team, and wants more than anything to stop being referred to in FIBA circles as LeBronze (for his third-place finishes in Athens and Japan). He's also the morning-line favorite to lead the team in entourage size.
Most important is whether he can shoot anywhere near 76 percent from the field as he did last summer.
Jason Kidd
The elder statesman, the distributor, the only guy on the team bus who can brag (as he did last summer) that he's gone 38-0 in international compe ions with the senior national team.
He'll be the starter, but Coach K and Jerry Colangelo have already decided they're bringing three point guards to China, so Kidd could end up being no more than a 22-minute player.
Michael Redd
The designated zone buster -- something the Americans didn't have in Athens when they faced 40 minutes of zone defense in every game (with the exception of their semifinal loss to Argentina, when Manu Ginobili and Co. played them straight up).
It remains to be seen whether being the subject of trade rumors will be a distraction to Redd when he's half a world away from Milwaukee.
Dwyane Wade
Colangelo visited him last week in Chicago, where Wade has been working out with trainer Tim Grover.
"I liked what I saw physically, though his timing is still a little off, but by July 20 he'll be fine. I also think his focus is back where it needs to be," Colangelo said. Wade will come off the bench as the sixth man.
ON THE BUBBLE
Chauncey Billups
Again, Colangelo and Krzyzewski have already decided to bring three point guards, and the guess here is that Mr. Big Shot will be the odd man out from the foursome that also includes Kidd, Chris Paul and Deron Williams.
His recent hamstring injury doesn't help his cause, nor does the slippage in his game that has been evident for the past two seasons.
Tyson Chandler
It appears it'll come down to him or Tayshaun Prince for the final roster spot. In his favor: He blocks shots and rebounds, and he's a banger down low (remember, FIBA basketball is much, much more physical than NBA basketball).
Working against him: He's a poor free-throw shooter, which opponents will exploit.
Chris Paul
His lack of size and lack of experience were exploited by opponents in Japan, where Coach K took the starter's job away from him and gave it to Kirk Hinrich.
But he has grown substantially as a player in the two years since, and his speed and penetration skills are factors the Americans will need to exploit in their favor. Probably belongs on the lock list, not the bubble list, but we're being extra cautious here.
Tayshaun Prince
He can defend four positions with his length, he can play inside and outside, and he can make free throws and bust zones.
But he'd pretty much be the 12th man, and conventional basketball wisdom says you always protect yourself by bringing an extra big man in case injuries and/or fouls become a factor.
Amare Stoudemire
May have talked himself off the team when he told the Arizona Republic at the end of April that he was concerned about the long-term strength of his post-microfracture knees -- and how it will impact the value of his contract extension.
Colangelo has asked for total focus and commitment, and the 33-man roster is littered with guys who have wavered their way into watching the Olympics from their couches.
Deron Williams
The higher-ups in USA Basketball see him as a long-term asset who can fill Kidd's role as team leader at the 2010 World Championship in Turkey and the 2012 London Olympics. He's a better shooter than Kidd and he's stronger than Paul -- the latter factor being something to focus on when the Americans have to defend teams with tall point guards.
Don't forget: Greece's big backcourt overwhelmed the Americans in Japan.
OUT OF THE MIX
Gilbert Arenas: His bridges were burned in '06.
Shane Battier: Ankle surgery knocked out a Coach K favorite.
Bruce Bowen: Like Arenas, complained too much after '06 cut.
Elton Brand: Still recovering from major Achilles injury.
Nick Collison: In the mix for 2010 and 2012.
Kevin Durant: Will practice against Team USA in Vegas with select team.
Kirk Hinrich: A fifth wheel behind point guard foursome listed above.
Antawn Jamison: Was on Japan team in '06, but played little.
Joe Johnson: Coach K loves him, but superfluous for an already-small roster.
Shawn Marion: Came up lame the last two summers. Might be an alternate.
Brad Miller: Like Jamison, went to Japan but didn't play much.
Mike Miller: The weak link on the '07 team.
Adam Morrison: Recovering from torn knee ligament.
Greg Oden: Recovering from microfracture surgery.
Lamar Odom: Didn't play in '06 or '07.
Paul Pierce: Also squeezed out by not playing in '06 and '07.
J.J. Re : Only on roster as option for 2010 and 2012.
Luke Ridnour: Battling Re for 33rd man status.
PREDICTION
With Coach K planning to use Anthony and James extensively at the power forward spot, there is serious consideration being given to bringing only three true bigs to Beijing.
I think it would be a colossal mistake, but it wouldn't surprise me. Still, I have to believe sanity will win out and Chandler will get the nod over Prince for the final spot. So here's my 12:
Starters: Kidd, Bryant, James, Anthony, Howard
Reserves: Wade, Boozer, Bosh, Paul, Williams, Redd and Chandler
Last edited by duncan228; 06-16-2008 at 07:27 PM.
Its a joke starting Kidd at point over Paul or Williams, and joe johnson should be on the team.
They're all such great players; shame they can't all find a way to contribute to the cause.
Get Kidd out. If not him Chauncey.
And Carlos Boozer. That soft, made loser doesn't deserve it. Not by a long shot.
Thank God duncan didn't make the roster...hed slow down the team so much!
Sub in JJ for Tayshaun.
Squeeze in Jamison and Miller.
I agree that Kidd is now questionable, especially considering his play this past season. But, it's basically his team and all the other players, especially the stars like LeBron and Kobe, appear to love playing with him. I'd also question Dwyane Wade's addition because I think Joe Johnson is a better fit in the international game. But, Coach K made it clear Wade will have a spot on the team. Not sure why Boozer has a spot for sure. Didn't he miss last summer? And, I don't know why Sheridan says Amare talked his way off the team. Expressing concern about his knee and his contract doesn't seem to me that he's talking his way off of Team USA. I know it would appear that Redd should be on as the designated "shooter" but pretty much everyone on the team except Dwight Howard and Tyson Chandler if he's on the team can hit international three pointers.
Anyway, since it's pretty apparent Kidd and Wade are on the team, I guess this is who I expect to be on it:
Jason Kidd / Chris Paul / Deron Williams
Kobe Bryant / Dwyane Wade
LeBron James / Tayshaun Prince
Carmelo Anthony / Chris Bosh
Dwight Howard / Amare Stoudemire / Tyson Chandler
If Shane Battier were healthy, I'm sure Coach K would have him over Prince.
But who do you take out for Jamison and Miller?
Lol, a group of great players...we'll see if they will be a great team!
Carmelo's gonna be pimp-slapping those es like last time.
Thats a good question.
Coah K shouldnt even be coaching the team. Although i dislike mike dantoni a lot, he is probably best for the job given his overseas experience. And get bad character guys like carmelo off the team
Mike D'Antoni is on Coach K's staff primarily for that international experience.
Dantoni should be the head coach though. Most of the players that come from duke flop in the nba. Only couple of exceptions including Brand and Hill.
It has nothing to do with the Duke program or how well Duke players do in the NBA.
Plus, I think one of the main reasons Coach K is the head coach is because he can devote more time to planning, preparation, scouting, and strategic game-planning than an NBA coach can, especially an NBA coach that might go deep in the playoffs and well into the summer. That had to be a consideration when Colangelo selected Coach K to head the program.
We need some perimeter defenders...
I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic. Yes, to me he is soft. To me, he's the reason why the Jazz lost that series against L.A. All the Jazz needed was some consistent interior scoring. That's his job since he's getting paid that kind of money. He was invisible on offense and exposed on defense, I felt bad watching it.
Get Kidd out. If not him Chauncey.
And Carlos Boozer. That soft, made loser doesn't deserve it. Not by a long shot.
get Deron and JJ. USA needs all the help they can find in the shooting department. Not that it matters coz USA will win this easy. No way will they let up again after the embarrassing result last time.
both deron and paul will most likely make it.
If everybody on the US team keep their egos under control, it should be an easy gold for your team. I predict +20 in average.
We'll win, we have Kobe this year.
Are you saying that Kobe is a guarantee for winning?
Winning what? NBA les? Dude, you'll go broke soon.
Your NT team as whole is much better guarantee in my opinion.
That is why we might be in trouble, and making it look like carmelo is the captain.
People are re ed if they think Kidd shouldn't play. Kidd was pretty much the co-MVP with Kobe in the Americas tournament. The team wasn't nearly as cohesive when he was out of the game. He didn't play great in Dallas but that's what happens when your coach takes the ball out of your hands and makes you a spot-up 3 point shooter.
Chris Paul
Kobe Bryant
Lebron James???
dude thats scary
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