Woj: Wall, Beal & Millsap Cut From Team USA

 please god let one be drummond, god knows we dont need our star player breaking his leg..

 please god let one be drummond, god knows we dont need our star player breaking his leg..

 i didnt see wall as much of a fit even if he made the team 

 i didnt see wall as much of a fit even if he made the team 

I never thought John Wall or Bradley Beal had a chance to make the roster. Easy cuts. Wall’s game doesn’t fit and Beal’s game isn’t needed since Stephen Curry is a lock and Damian Lillard is better. I thought DeMar DeRozan would’ve been an easy cut as well, but I think he sticks around a little longer due to Paul George’s injury. 

I thought Millsap had a good chance to make the roster. I’m a little surprised he was cut this soon, but it’s becoming clear what type of big men Team USA wants on the roster this summer. 

I never thought John Wall or Bradley Beal had a chance to make the roster. Easy cuts. Wall’s game doesn’t fit and Beal’s game isn’t needed since Stephen Curry is a lock and Damian Lillard is better. I thought DeMar DeRozan would’ve been an easy cut as well, but I think he sticks around a little longer due to Paul George’s injury. 

I thought Millsap had a good chance to make the roster. I’m a little surprised he was cut this soon, but it’s becoming clear what type of big men Team USA wants on the roster this summer. 

 Even before PG got hurt I thought our starters should be Rose, Curry, Korver (veteran shooter), Durant, and Anthony Davis.  A smaller, quicker lineup.

For the second team I would now go with Irving, Klay Thomson, James Harden, Cousins, and Drummond/Plumlee for a bigger lineup.  I like having Cousins as a scoring big man and then either Drummond or Plumlee as a third big behind Davis and Cousins.

My last two guys would be Lillard, a clutch point guard, and Chandler Parsons as a PG replacement and a stretch four possibly.  He could even start at the 3 instead of Kyle Korver.

 Even before PG got hurt I thought our starters should be Rose, Curry, Korver (veteran shooter), Durant, and Anthony Davis.  A smaller, quicker lineup.

For the second team I would now go with Irving, Klay Thomson, James Harden, Cousins, and Drummond/Plumlee for a bigger lineup.  I like having Cousins as a scoring big man and then either Drummond or Plumlee as a third big behind Davis and Cousins.

My last two guys would be Lillard, a clutch point guard, and Chandler Parsons as a PG replacement and a stretch four possibly.  He could even start at the 3 instead of Kyle Korver.

 2 out of 4 make it: Cousins, Drummond, Plumlee, and Faried

2 out of 3 make it: Parsons, Korver, and DeRozan.

And I feel like Hayward is out as well. 

 2 out of 4 make it: Cousins, Drummond, Plumlee, and Faried

2 out of 3 make it: Parsons, Korver, and DeRozan.

And I feel like Hayward is out as well. 

They will definitely go into it with 4 PGs.

They will play Curry off ball, and also have the ability of Kyrie and Lillard to play the 2 if need be.

Derozen will be cut because of this I think.

I also think Cousins and Faried will be cut. Plumlee really impressed me and wouldn’t be surprised if he is picked over Cousins. Cousins is an animal, just not sure he fits into this team and does all the little things like Plumlee.

If Team USA chooses to only take 2 centers, then Plumlee himself is almost certainly dumped.

If Team USA chooses that it want another big men, I see them dropping Hayward. although I don’t see them wanting another big men over SF.

They will definitely go into it with 4 PGs.

They will play Curry off ball, and also have the ability of Kyrie and Lillard to play the 2 if need be.

Derozen will be cut because of this I think.

I also think Cousins and Faried will be cut. Plumlee really impressed me and wouldn’t be surprised if he is picked over Cousins. Cousins is an animal, just not sure he fits into this team and does all the little things like Plumlee.

If Team USA chooses to only take 2 centers, then Plumlee himself is almost certainly dumped.

If Team USA chooses that it want another big men, I see them dropping Hayward. although I don’t see them wanting another big men over SF.

 My four cuts would be Faried, Plumlee, Derozan and probably Hayward.  I like the big man combo of Drummond and Cousins to play next to Davis.

 My four cuts would be Faried, Plumlee, Derozan and probably Hayward.  I like the big man combo of Drummond and Cousins to play next to Davis.

 Faried, Hayward, Derozan and Liilliard will be cut

 Faried, Hayward, Derozan and Liilliard will be cut

Derozan and Faried are no brainers. On the edge: Lillard, Plumlee, Cousins. I think Cousins would be a good fit for a roster containing Drummond and Davis, but it seems Coach K is going to favor his former Duke player.

Derozan and Faried are no brainers. On the edge: Lillard, Plumlee, Cousins. I think Cousins would be a good fit for a roster containing Drummond and Davis, but it seems Coach K is going to favor his former Duke player.

 My cuts would be Plumlee, Parsons, Faried and DeRozan. DeRozan’s game doesn’t quite suit and he isn’t a good defender, Plumlee is simply not as good as Cousins and Drummond, Faried doesn’t bring anything unique to the table and Parsons is similar to Hayward but worse in my opinion so he gets the ax.

 My cuts would be Plumlee, Parsons, Faried and DeRozan. DeRozan’s game doesn’t quite suit and he isn’t a good defender, Plumlee is simply not as good as Cousins and Drummond, Faried doesn’t bring anything unique to the table and Parsons is similar to Hayward but worse in my opinion so he gets the ax.

These aren’t necesarily my personal picks or who I want to make it, but more who I think Team USA will go with:

PG: Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard 

G: Stephen Curry 

G/F: James Harden and Klay Thompson

F: Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward and Kyle Korver

F/C: Anthony Davis and Kenneth Faried

C: Miles Plumlee 

Cuts:

DeMarcus Cousins – His game doesn’t really fit with how Team USA wants to play. 

Andre Drummond – He’s big and athletic, but doesn’t play with a high motor like Plumlee does. 

Chandler Parsons – He’s not the all-around player Hayward is nor the shooter Korver is. 

DeMar DeRozan – He’s athletic, but doesn’t get after it defensively and isn’t a good shooter. He’d have been cut sooner if not for Paul George’s injury. 

These aren’t necesarily my personal picks or who I want to make it, but more who I think Team USA will go with:

PG: Derrick Rose, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard 

G: Stephen Curry 

G/F: James Harden and Klay Thompson

F: Kevin Durant, Gordon Hayward and Kyle Korver

F/C: Anthony Davis and Kenneth Faried

C: Miles Plumlee 

Cuts:

DeMarcus Cousins – His game doesn’t really fit with how Team USA wants to play. 

Andre Drummond – He’s big and athletic, but doesn’t play with a high motor like Plumlee does. 

Chandler Parsons – He’s not the all-around player Hayward is nor the shooter Korver is. 

DeMar DeRozan – He’s athletic, but doesn’t get after it defensively and isn’t a good shooter. He’d have been cut sooner if not for Paul George’s injury. 

 id cut derozan, parsons, faried and drummond

 id cut derozan, parsons, faried and drummond

I’d cut Hayward, Plumlee, Faried and probably Derozan. I keep hearing how Plumlee is rated higher than Cousins right now but Plumlee is a poor man’s version of Drummond, who they should keep. When teams slow USA down, they need someone to feed the ball to and that’s where Cousins value is

I’d cut Hayward, Plumlee, Faried and probably Derozan. I keep hearing how Plumlee is rated higher than Cousins right now but Plumlee is a poor man’s version of Drummond, who they should keep. When teams slow USA down, they need someone to feed the ball to and that’s where Cousins value is

I’m not american, so it’s not like I care much, but if I had to build the team I would’ve kept Millsap. He’s experienced, tough, two way player, versatile, I think with his skills he’s a terrific fit for FIBA ball. Also I do believe he can play some 3 and 5 in international ball, under very specific circumstances, so he would’ve been really useful. I know I’m going to get negged to death, but at this stage of their career I think he would’ve been a better fit than Drummond. I know Drummond has all the potential in the world and he’s going to be a heck of a player, whatever, right now his skills in my opinion aren’t all that effective with FIBA rules and average opponents. I remember how guys like Dwight or Amare struggled in their first appearances with Team USA and they were far more polished by then than Drummond is now.

I hadn’t really made my mind up on Wall, well I was pretty sure he was going to get cut, but I don’t know how good he would’ve been. On the one hand he’s a so so shooter and not so good in half court settings and with narrower spaces some of his shortcomings might be exposed. But at the same time, as Zach Lowe correctly pointed out in one of the last BS reports, Team USA is going to try to push the ball whenever possible trying to get easy buckets in transition, considering that they never play together and their training camp was ridicolously short compared to that of other teams, so they can’t have a very structured offense, while opponents will have at least decent defenses, plus they’re not familiar with the rules and so on, so avoiding slow pace and half court setting is a priority. Nonody is as good as John Wall pushing the ball in transition, so he could’ve helped them with his quickness.

Beal doesn’t come as a surprise at all, the backcourt is loaded, plus Curry might very well work as a 2 for long stretches, also Thompson is a better defensive player and BB plays only one position while other player still in contention for a wing or backcourt spot are more versatile.

I’m not american, so it’s not like I care much, but if I had to build the team I would’ve kept Millsap. He’s experienced, tough, two way player, versatile, I think with his skills he’s a terrific fit for FIBA ball. Also I do believe he can play some 3 and 5 in international ball, under very specific circumstances, so he would’ve been really useful. I know I’m going to get negged to death, but at this stage of their career I think he would’ve been a better fit than Drummond. I know Drummond has all the potential in the world and he’s going to be a heck of a player, whatever, right now his skills in my opinion aren’t all that effective with FIBA rules and average opponents. I remember how guys like Dwight or Amare struggled in their first appearances with Team USA and they were far more polished by then than Drummond is now.

I hadn’t really made my mind up on Wall, well I was pretty sure he was going to get cut, but I don’t know how good he would’ve been. On the one hand he’s a so so shooter and not so good in half court settings and with narrower spaces some of his shortcomings might be exposed. But at the same time, as Zach Lowe correctly pointed out in one of the last BS reports, Team USA is going to try to push the ball whenever possible trying to get easy buckets in transition, considering that they never play together and their training camp was ridicolously short compared to that of other teams, so they can’t have a very structured offense, while opponents will have at least decent defenses, plus they’re not familiar with the rules and so on, so avoiding slow pace and half court setting is a priority. Nonody is as good as John Wall pushing the ball in transition, so he could’ve helped them with his quickness.

Beal doesn’t come as a surprise at all, the backcourt is loaded, plus Curry might very well work as a 2 for long stretches, also Thompson is a better defensive player and BB plays only one position while other player still in contention for a wing or backcourt spot are more versatile.

I’m not american, so it’s not like I care much, but if I had to build the team I would’ve kept Millsap. He’s experienced, tough, two way player, versatile, I think with his skills he’s a terrific fit for FIBA ball. Also I do believe he can play some 3 and 5 in international ball, under very specific circumstances, so he would’ve been really useful. I know I’m going to get negged to death, but at this stage of their career I think he would’ve been a better fit than Drummond. I know Drummond has all the potential in the world and he’s going to be a heck of a player, whatever, right now his skills in my opinion aren’t all that effective with FIBA rules and average opponents. I remember how guys like Dwight or Amare struggled in their first appearances with Team USA and they were far more polished by then than Drummond is now.

I hadn’t really made my mind up on Wall, well I was pretty sure he was going to get cut, but I don’t know how good he would’ve been. On the one hand he’s a so so shooter and not so good in half court settings and with narrower spaces some of his shortcomings might be exposed. But at the same time, as Zach Lowe correctly pointed out in one of the last BS reports, Team USA is going to try to push the ball whenever possible trying to get easy buckets in transition, considering that they never play together and their training camp was ridicolously short compared to that of other teams, so they can’t have a very structured offense, while opponents will have at least decent defenses, plus they’re not familiar with the rules and so on, so avoiding slow pace and half court setting is a priority. Nonody is as good as John Wall pushing the ball in transition, so he could’ve helped them with his quickness.

Beal doesn’t come as a surprise at all, the backcourt is loaded, plus Curry might very well work as a 2 for long stretches, also Thompson is a better defensive player and BB plays only one position while other player still in contention for a wing or backcourt spot are more versatile.

I’m not american, so it’s not like I care much, but if I had to build the team I would’ve kept Millsap. He’s experienced, tough, two way player, versatile, I think with his skills he’s a terrific fit for FIBA ball. Also I do believe he can play some 3 and 5 in international ball, under very specific circumstances, so he would’ve been really useful. I know I’m going to get negged to death, but at this stage of their career I think he would’ve been a better fit than Drummond. I know Drummond has all the potential in the world and he’s going to be a heck of a player, whatever, right now his skills in my opinion aren’t all that effective with FIBA rules and average opponents. I remember how guys like Dwight or Amare struggled in their first appearances with Team USA and they were far more polished by then than Drummond is now.

I hadn’t really made my mind up on Wall, well I was pretty sure he was going to get cut, but I don’t know how good he would’ve been. On the one hand he’s a so so shooter and not so good in half court settings and with narrower spaces some of his shortcomings might be exposed. But at the same time, as Zach Lowe correctly pointed out in one of the last BS reports, Team USA is going to try to push the ball whenever possible trying to get easy buckets in transition, considering that they never play together and their training camp was ridicolously short compared to that of other teams, so they can’t have a very structured offense, while opponents will have at least decent defenses, plus they’re not familiar with the rules and so on, so avoiding slow pace and half court setting is a priority. Nonody is as good as John Wall pushing the ball in transition, so he could’ve helped them with his quickness.

Beal doesn’t come as a surprise at all, the backcourt is loaded, plus Curry might very well work as a 2 for long stretches, also Thompson is a better defensive player and BB plays only one position while other player still in contention for a wing or backcourt spot are more versatile.

I keep reading/hearing how Team USA is so high on Mason Plumlee, which is why I have him making the roster. I understand he’s more of an effort/energy big man, team oriented, etc. However, DeMarcus Cousins has been in the Team USA program for three years now. With so many big men out, I just think it’d be a smack to his face to take Plumlee over him. They’d definitely be burning a bridge, which could be a bad idea… Cousins could very well be the best big man in the NBA by the 2016 Olympics. If they pick Plumlee over him, I doubt he plays for Team USA again. 

I keep reading/hearing how Team USA is so high on Mason Plumlee, which is why I have him making the roster. I understand he’s more of an effort/energy big man, team oriented, etc. However, DeMarcus Cousins has been in the Team USA program for three years now. With so many big men out, I just think it’d be a smack to his face to take Plumlee over him. They’d definitely be burning a bridge, which could be a bad idea… Cousins could very well be the best big man in the NBA by the 2016 Olympics. If they pick Plumlee over him, I doubt he plays for Team USA again.