Team USA’s roster for the upcoming Summer Olympics is taking shape, with a new trio of star players set to play in Tokyo, according to reports.
Nets forward Kevin Durant is expected to commit to represent Team USA at the Tokyo games, according to Shams Charania and Anthony Slater of The Athletic (Twitter link). Durant’s teammate James Harden will join him, according to Charania, who says (via Twitter) the All-Star guard has committed to play. The third member of Brooklyn’s Big Three, Kyrie Irving, is expected to sit out the Olympics while he rehabs an ankle injury.
Team USA has added a frontcourt player as well, as Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports (via Twitter) that Heat big man Bam Adebayo has committed to join the roster. Adebayo trained with USA Basketball leading up to the 2019 World Cup, but didn’t make the team. He’s unlikely to be cut this time around.
Durant, Harden, and Adebayo join a star-studded group that also features Bradley Beal, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum, and Draymond Green. Devin Booker is expected to participate too, though if the Suns make the NBA Finals and play a long series in July, it’s possible his plans could change. The Finals could run as late as July 22 if they go seven games, while the Olympics are scheduled to get underway on July 23.
With or without Booker, there are still at least four spots on the 12-man roster up for grabs, and Team USA figures to bring more than 12 players to its pre-Olympic camp as insurance for injuries or withdrawals.
Only reason Harden is playing is he hasn’t been to those strip clubs yet.
There will be plenty of strip clubs in Tokyo he can check out.
I think you have to tip them at least 1000 yen ($9), but he can afford it.
they don’t accept tips in japanese culture, so curious on how this works then.
I truly think Durant, Harden and Kyrie should NOT be playing this summer. Bad optics. Rest and rehab.
wouldnt not sending your best players be bad optics? pragmatic? maybe not, but i dont know how you can call it an optics thing.
Because they missed several games during the regular season and most of the playoffs. who’s paying them? the nets. so they were mostly unavailable to play during the season and in the case of Harden (Kyrie wasn’t mentioned), the playoffs. so yeah .. they should opt out of playing in the Olympics where they not only won’t be resting but might risk reinjuring themselves. bad optics. there are other nba players that can go.
If I’m the Nets I want them taking some time off then playing and competing however they can. Would you rather they sat and watched TV all summer?
Optics…anyone who gets mad over Kevin Durant playing exhibition games is prob a little uptight to begin with.
Kyrie doesn’t worry about optics, but Durant is the one going, and he does.
I guess if he gets a third NBA title, he needs a third gold too.
There’s a thing called training. That can be controlled more than in game action. Why is this hard to understand? Use the offseason to rehab the injuries. Don’t do anything to risk coming into camp 100% ready.
Training can’t simulate in-game behavior. That’s where the real lessons are learned. Sorry but that’s the truth.
How is Harden playing with hammy injury? Was it a fake injury to use as an excuse??
would love to see Saddiq Bey get this experience.
Would have liked to have seen Lillard and KD take the opportunity to get some rest b/c there are multiple guys that could use this experience, and I think that team should still win. I dont get why Harden is even invited
Heard from other sites. That
Paul George, Kawhi, and CP3 could be the next to join. Depends on playoffs