Kawhi Leonard is withdrawing from Team USA for the Paris Olympics and will be replaced, sources tell me and @joevardon.

mastermind

mastermind

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Professor Emeritus said:
I'm seeing a ton of complaining about Derrick White, and not a single post that's answering the actual question of why they're doing this.



Fact #1: Team USA has a long history of having scorers who can't shoot from distance getting exposed in the Olympics because the court packs in too easy and gets physical.

Fact #2: Team USA has a long history of having perimeter players who can't defend getting exposed in the Olympics.

Fact #3: Haliburton looked very weak in the scrimmages so far, and Brunson was a liability at times in the World Championships.

Fact #4: This is the current roster:

Pure PGs: Haliburton
SGs/Combo Guards/Swings: Steph, Tatum, Edwards, Booker, Jrue
Other Forwards: Bron, KD, AD


Where does Brown fit on a team that already has Tatum, Edwards, Booker, Bron, and KD? There isn't any one thing he provides that at least 2 of those guys aren't already doing better.

On the other hand, there's a huge weakness when it comes to point guard. If Haliburton is a liability due to defense, then what? Obviously, the answer is for Bron to play the point and then you can have any combination of Steph/Ant/Booker/Jrue in the guard spots.....but when Bron is sitting, then what? If Bron gets hurt, then what? Do you really want Steph and Jrue to be the only playable "ballhandlers" on the court?

The coaches looked at that roster, and basically said, "If Bron goes down, we want one more player who can play point guard AND defend both guard spots." And Derrick White fits that better than anyone else available. Elite defender who can guard any perimeter player, led the Celtics in assists, and shot 40% from 3pt and 90% from FT this year.


Does he "deserve" it more than the other players mentioned? Of course not. But Team USA had a stretch in 2000-2006 where they put the big names on the roster regardless of the fit trying to create those Dream Team vibes and it went disastrously.

Meanwhile, they bytching about Tayshun Prince on the 2008 team......but Prince averaged 11 minutes/game playing hard defense, hitting the offensive boards, making the few shots he took (59% from the field and 55% from 3pt)......and that team went UNDEFEATED. Yeah he only averaged 4-5 points a game, but with Bron/Kobe/Melo/Wade on the squad, that's all they needed from him. Let role players play a role.
Click to expand...
Derrick White seems like the perfect international role player.
 
mozichrome

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SAS hitting up JB on twitter telling him "dont you get it now" like this was all part of his plan

 
inndaskKy

inndaskKy

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GoldenGlove said:
:unimpressed:


If I'm Brown, I'm looking at Tatum funny. Imagine Mike being cool with Team USA not putting Prime Pippen on the team

:mjlol:
Click to expand...

Jaylen Brown for the rest of his career when he plays a Steve Kerr team:

c2qPNN2.gif
 
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