Two reasons why I think Irving is a lock, with Lillard needing to be a 4th as a combo. 1) Coach K and Duke 2) Irving is now a part of the "Big 3" in Cleveland. The NBA will want him marketed this fall for Team USA. Also, Irving is a very good player, but in terms of actual NBA success, Lillard has the better resume in terms of team play, and also has a great individual resume.
I know Lillard wants to be in the World Cup, but there's too many things going against him. NBA wanting to market anything Cleveland, Coach K and all his pals... I hope Lillard doesn't make it. Get him more pissed and at the same time less wear on his legs.
I look at the roster and think these are the guys that need to make the team. How do you build around them? Rose, Curry, Irving, Lillard, Harden, Davis, Drummond. I would go: Rose/Irving/Lillard (they are a tossup. I pick Lillard. Coach K goes with Irving or keeps 4 PG's?) Curry/DeRozan Harden/Korver/Thompson Parsons/Faried/ Davis/Drummond need to go bigger, start Faried or Drummond. Hayward (G), Plumlee (F) and Cousins (C) are out. But I would consider a swap DeRozan or Thompson for Hayward.
I kinda said that already. But look at my roster. That team only has 3 bigs. If they get another big, can they keep 4 point guards? I don't think so.
His FT shooting scares me, though. At least Cousins shoots FTs over 70%. Drummond is a 40% FT shooter. I do agree that attitude matters, but I have to think that if Cousins was showing a bad attitude, he'd already have been cut.
i think boogie would absolutely dominate inside if asked to, the problem is matchups with euro stretch 5s i guess? maybe im in the minority though
At this point with all the players they have lost, coach K is going to make the decision on who makes the team based on who he thinks will help him win. Nothing else IMO. He does not have the luxury of keeping a guy for marketing purposes. Neither he nor Colangelo cares about that. If they had a full roster then maybe, but not now.
I think Boogie is a lock, and should be. I'd start him and Davis against Spain, with Harden at SF, Curry at SG, and Lillard at PG (although it will be Rose at PG).
It's not like Irving sucks, though. He's a very good player, and a high-profile player. Now, if Mileson Plumlee makes it, then I'll be wondering.
So ... I'm wondering where the media outrage is about Durant pulling out of Team USA after taking a roster spot. He is the reigning NBA MVP, and while I do understand why he would want to get rest, and also take into account his contract expiring in two years, couldn't he have made that decision prior to being the focal point of the USA offense for the last 3 weeks? If Kobe Bryant or LeBron James had done this, they'd be bashed. Meanwhile, Durant kind of gets to do and say whatever he wants (remember his "tough shit" comment, for example) and he's never criticized.
He recommitted to the team last weekend after Paul George got hurt. Cuts were then made, including Paul Millsap, because Durant was going to play the 4 the overwhelming majority of the minutes. It's a punk move, and he deserves to be criticized for it. Why even go to camp, or why not withdraw before cuts were made. If Coach K pulls back anybody he has cut at this point, he's lost the team, regardless of injury.
