It appears that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics are indeed going to be held in 2021, and one of the more popular events is always Men's Basketball. However, Team USA is at a crossroads as some of our superstars and Olympic heroes from recent past are aging or retired (LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Paul), and the SARS-CoV-2 virus caused a condensed 2019-2020 schedule that finished on October 11, which in turn caused the 2020-2021 season to start late and itself be condensed. This will likely force a lot of usual players from being available to USA Basketball for these Olympics due to injury, or just fatigue caused by the condensed schedule and the playoff schedules.
Plus, there are a number of young stars in the NBA that are just waiting their turn put on the USA uniform and line up to win medals for love of country in the present, and into the future.
So, given that a number of stars will be unavailable, what could a possible team look like? Well, here is one man's projections, from start of training camp through successive cut-downs until we reach a squad of 12. This is not predictions, as injuries and a late playoff run could keep some of these players from playing in the Olympics. Also, some big names like Lebron, Durant, Kyrie Irving, Chris Paul, Anthony Davis, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and the like will likely not accept invitations, paving way for a big new wave of Olympians.
As the roster requires 12, and only 12, players, the team will be made up of 3 point guards, 5 swings and 4 bigs. Giving the state of the game today, I emphasize the swings more as 3 swings could play at a time (with a larger wing playing the 4 - think Carmelo Anthony in his Olympic stints), and a big man game is essentially being phased out.
ROSTER INVITEES
Point Guards (19)
LaMelo Ball - Charlotte Hornets
Patrick Beverly - Los Angeles Clippers
Mike Conley - Utah Jazz
De'Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings
Darius Garland - Cleveland Cavaliers
Tyler Herro - Miami Heat
Jrue Holiday - Milwaukee Bucks
Damian Lillard - Portland TrailBlazers
Kyle Lowry - Tortonto Raptors
Donovan Mitchell - Utah Jazz
Donovan Mitchell - Utah Jazz
Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
Immanuel Quickly - New York Knicks
Terry Rozier - Charlotte Hornets
DeAngelo Russell - Minnesota Timberwolves
Fred van Vleet - Toronto Raptors
John Wall - Houston Rockets
Colby White - Chicago Bulls
Lou Williams - Los Angeles Clippers
Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks
Wings (29)
Bradley Beal - Washington Wizards
Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
Malcolm Brogdon - Indianapolis Pacers
Jaylen Brown - Boston Celtics
Jimmy Butler - Miami Heat
Jordan Clarkson - Utah Jazz
Seth Curry - Philadelphia 76ers
Demar DeRozan - San Antonio Spurs
Hamidou Diallo - Oklahoma City Thunder
Anthony Edwards - Minnesota Timberwolves
Paul George - Los Angeles Clippers
Jerami Grant - Detroit Pistons
Gary Harris - Denver Nuggets
Joe Harris - Brooklyn Nets
Tobias Harris - Philadelphia 76ers
Joe Ingles - Utah Jazz
Brandon Ingram - New Orleans Pelicans
Keldon Johnson - San Antonio Spurs
Kyle Kuzma - Los Angeles Lakers
Caris LaVert - Indianapolis Pacers
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
C.J. McCollum - Portland TrailBlazers
Khris Middleton - Milwaukee Bucks
Dejounte Murray - San Antonio Spurs
Michael Porter, Jr. - Denver Nuggets
J.J. Reddick - New Orleans Pelicans
Landry Shamet - Brooklyn Nets
Collin Sexton - Cleveland Cavaliers
Jayson Tatum - Boston Celtics
Bigs (18)
Bam Adebayo - Miami Heat
De'Andre Ayton - Phoenix Suns
Jarret Allen - Cleveland Cavaliers
Willie Cauley-Stein - Dallas Mavericks
John Collins - Atlanta Hawks
JaMychel Green - Denver Nuggets
Montrezl Harrell - Los Angeles Lakers
Justin Jackson - Oklahoma City Thunder
Nerlens Noel - New York Knicks
Mason Plumlee - Detroit Pistons
Julius Randle - New York Knicks
Mitchell Robinson - New York Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns - Minnesota Timberwolves
Myles Turner - Indianapolis Pacers
P.J. Washington - Charlotte Hornets
Zion Williamson - New Orleans Pelicans
James Wiseman - Golden State Warriors
Christian Wood - Houston Rockets
Now, there are a lot of people invited to camp, because we need to see some people perform. Point guards will have to get better playing against Patrick Beverly's defense for example. And we need big bodies to bang underneath against each other, in addition to performing their normal "stretch-4" role. Given my earlier parameters, Paul George is likely the biggest surprise, but given his injury playing for USA Basketball in 2014, and limited minutes and effectiveness in 2016, he would likely try to give it one more go. Kyle Lowry and Demar DeRozan are two other returning members from the team that won gold in 2016.
FIRST CUTS
We have our first set of cuts, so we are down from 66 players down to 32 players. Most of these cuts were pretty obvious, but - as you may expect - they only get harder from here on out. Some interesting positional battles are already shaping up.
Point Guards (10)
LaMelo Ball - Charlotte Hornets
Mike Conley - Utah Jazz
De'Aaron Fox - Sacramento Kings
Damian Lillard - Portland TrailBlazers
Kyle Lowry - Toronto Raptors
Donovan Mitchell - Utah Jazz
Ja Morant - Memphis Grizzlies
Fred van Vleet - Toronto Raptors
Lou Williams - Los Angeles Clippers
Trae Young - Atlanta Hawks
Nothing too shocking here. Terry Rozier could have added some extra toughness at the position, at least through camp, with a bit more offensive game than Patrick Beverly. John Wall likely decides to save himself for the regular season. Tyler Herro is the interesting one, because he has been playing a lot of point and off-guard for the Heat, and is a deadly shooter when hot. But, he just isn't on this level, at least not yet.
Wings (12)
Bradley Beal - Washington Wizards
Devin Booker - Phoenix Suns
Malcolm Brogdon - Indiana Pacers
Jaylen Brown - Boston Celtics
Jimmy Butler - Miami Heat
Joe Harris - Brooklyn Nets
Jerami Grant - Detroit Pistons
Brandon Ingram - New Orleans Pelicans
Zach LaVine - Chicago Bulls
Khris Middleton - Milwaukee Bucks
Michael Porter, Jr. - Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum - Bosston Celtics
No real surprises as to the cuts. Joe Harris is still here because he is deadly from deep, especially when he is left open because of surrounding talent on the offensive end. Just watch Brooklyn play to see that. Jerami Grant has been awesome this year. Michael Porter, Jr. is scary, because he will always be under-noticed with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in Denver, but his offensive skill set is scary with his length. If and when he puts it together on defense, watch out.
Bigs (10)
Bam Adebayo - Miami Heat
Jarrett Allen - Clevelan Cavaliers
John Collins - Atlanta Hawks
Montrezl Harrell - Los Angeles Lakers
Julius Randle - New York Knicks
Mitchell Robinson - New York Knicks
Karl-Anthony Towns - Minnesota Timberwolves
Myles Turner - Indiana Pacers
Zion Williamson - New Orleans Pelicans
Christian Wood - Houston Rockets
De'Andre Ayton and James Wiseman may have their days, but not quite yet. Montrezl Harrell is still around because the other bigs hate it when Harrell guards them.
SECOND ROUND OF CUTS
This might be the last round of "easy" cuts, meaning that those remaining all will have a serious chance of making the team, and that talent will not be the only factor from here on out, but also, teamwork, spacing, and bringing a specialized skill to the table will also be evaluated. We go from 32 to 25 at this phase, but most of the wings remain.
Point Guards (7)
LaMelo Ball
De'Aaron Fox
Damian Lillard
Donovan Mitchell
Ja Morant
Lou Williams
Trae Young
Gone from this round of cuts are the Toronto two-some, Lowry and van Vleet and Mike Conley from the Jazz. Lowry has been there before, but just doesn't have the same speed and long-distance shooting ability of Lillard, Mitchell or Williams and van Vleet, although playing the best ball of his life, doesn't quite make it.
Wings (10)
Bradley Beal
Devin Booker
Jaylen Brown
Jimmy Butler
Jerami Grant
Joe Harris
Brandon Ingram
Zach LaVine
Michael Porter, Jr.
Jayson Tatum
Brogdon and Middleton are gone, not because they cannot play, but look at the talent assembled here, as neither are the shooters that Booker and Harris are, or the scorers that Beal and Ingram are, or the overall player Butler is. Once again Porter, Jr. gets through because his length could allow him to be a capable international stretch-4.
Bigs (7)
Bam Adebayo
Jarrett Allen
Julius Randle
Karl-Anthony Towns
Myles Turner
Zion Williamson
Christian Wood
We say goodbye to Mitchell Robinson, John Collins and Montrezl Harrell at this juncture. Collins is the hardest to cut, but at 6'9" he plays more of a wing than say Bam Adebayo's 6'9".
Two more rounds of cuts to go.
PENULTIMATE CUTS
The team will largely round into shape here, with basically everyone that remains after this round of cuts a legitimate shot to make the team.
Point Guards (5)
De'Aaron Fox
Damian Lillard
Donovan Mitchell
Trae Young
Lou Williams
We say goodby to Ja Morant and LaMelo Ball here, but I expect them to be on many Team USAs in the future. Morant just doesn't have that one absolute skill better than the other point guards and Ball is just too inexperienced. Williams has a shot to do exactly what he always does, be a high volume scorer off the bench in limited minutes.
Wings (7)
Bradley Beal
Devin Booker
Jaylen Brown
Jimmy Butler
Joe Harris
Brandon Ingram
Jayson Tatum
At this juncture we cut Zach LaVine, Jerami Grant and Michael Porter, Jr., with LaVine the most likely of those three to have remained. LaVine, although coming into his own as a scorer and an athletic monster, just doesn't bring enough to the table. Harris has pure shooter potential of making this roster, so he stays instead of LaVine.
Bigs (5)
Bam Adebayo
Julius Randle
Myles Turner
Zion Williamson
Christian Wood
Jarrett Allen just isn't in the same class as these bigs, and although Karl-Anthony Towns is as talented as any big in the world, his seems to still be suffering from the effects of Covid-19, and as such, would be better served by sitting out these Olympics and getting fully healthy for the 2021-2022 season.
OLYMPICS TEAM - TOKYO 2020 (2O21)
Point Guards (3)
De'Aaron Fox
Damian Lillard
Donovan Mitchell
Lillard and Mitchell really seem to be the class of the point guards at camp, and easily make the squad. De'Aaron Fox makes it over Trae Young because he is more of a traditional point guard, and has better on-the-ball defense than Young. Fox also could run the point with either Lillard or Mitchell sliding over to the 2-spot on occasion if Greg Popovich so chooses. Plus, we have plenty of shooting on this team on the wings, and with Lillard. Lillard is named one of the team's two co-captains.
Wings (5)
Bradley Beal
Devin Booker
Jaylen Brown
Jimmy Butler
Jayson Tatum
Harris and Ingram are cut here, and the Ingram cut was the toughest of all. But, Beal is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and Beal and Booker can shoot with the best of them. Butler is one of the best all around players, could guard the likes of Doncic and Antetokounpo in the medal rounds, plus, he would be the go to guy whenever the team is in a rut and absolutely needs a shot or free throws. He is also the co-captain of the team. Tatum is a likely starter, alongside Beal or Butler, and could slide to the 4 when necessary. Jaylen Brown is the tough one, but his shooting has vastly improved, and he is just as important to the Celtics as Tatum is. Plus, they are used to playing with each other which is a bonus.
Bigs (4)
Bam Adebayo
Myles Turner
Zion Williamson
Christian Wood
We lose Julius Randle at this juncture, but he just doesn't give the energy and athleticism of Christian Wood, who is also playing phenomenally. No big is playing a better overall game than Adebayo, who also happens to defend the pick-and-roll better than any big in the world. He can also guard the likes of Antetokounpo for streatches. Myles Turner is quietly one of the best bigs in the league and we certainly cannot miss the opportunity of Zion Williamson terrorizing Olympic rims.
So, there you have it. Our projected Olympic 12. "U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!!!
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