How many upcoming free agents on that list of players? Because I do think it’s worthwhile Dame becoming friends with any upcoming free agents to increase their chance of coming here. If there’s none, or no-one we’d be interested in; then I think Dame’s better off resting.
Can you explain to me how it works? This is my understanding the FIBA events are just basically the qualifiers for the Olympics, right? So the 2019/2020 FIBA games are just teams qualifying to play in the Olympics next summer, and many of these stars will want to go play in the Olympics they just don't want to deal with the qualifier games? If my understanding is correct it seems like a bad deal for Dame, carry a team through the qualifiers so other guys can go to the Olympics?
I guess technically you're right but the event this summer is supposed to be like the World Cup for Soccer. The winner does automatically qualify for the Olympics but it isn't just a qualifying event, it's supposed to be an event itself but it hasn't really become that. Not many stars wanted to play in the last Olympics either so I don't think if Dame carried the team to a gold medal that he'd just be shoved aside next summer for other stars.
They updated the qualifying rules just recently so the FIBA world cup is not a big deal these days. So now USA just has to give it the old college try. "In 2020, the men's tournament will have a new qualification system. After the 2019 FIBA World Cup, seven teams will qualify directly: the top two European and American teams, and the top team from Africa, Asia and Oceania. The next 16 best teams from the FIBA World Cup will join the two teams from each continent at the Olympic qualifiers. It will feature four groups of six teams, where the best team of each group will get the remaining spots at the Olympics. The continental championships will no longer be used for Olympic qualifying."
It would be cool if we only sent first or second year up and coming players like Simons. Or like under 21.
I like this idea because then for young guys its actually an honor to go and something they’d work for and they’d want to win to prove they belong.
Second this. Would be fun to watch, would have guys giving 110%. NBA fans would still be in it to support their teams players. Only issue is there is a league full of guys riding the bench who you could argue should play for that team. How would you decide which ones do? Tryouts? How do they determine who gets a try out?
Wasn't some losses the reason they started sending the big stars again though? If they turn to only rookies and second year players they will start getting some losses again. Right now Serbia is one Lillard away from smelling blood.
And odds are already changing a lot. USA can be found at -400 while Serbia has dropped to +500, Greece has some way to go, currently at +2500 as the 4th favorite.
The scheduling for this year is really tight. Considering he has said he wants to get the team together before training camp, this would be cutting it close. Still highly disappointing for me. This was the one year I wanted him to go, especially after everyone dropped.
I am not sure any NBA star wants to be associated with losing in this tournament. So they are bailing.
I actually don’t mind not having all the superstars playing. Cool to see that 2nd tier get out there and represent us.