1:30pm: Team USA is working to replace Beal on its roster, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). It’s unclear at this point whether a replacement will be required for Grant as well.
1:14pm: After Team USA guard Bradley Beal entered the coronavirus health and safety protocols in Las Vegas on Wednesday, a second player from the U.S. roster has joined him. According to Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic (Twitter link), Jerami Grant has also been placed in the protocols.
Grant hasn’t tested positive for COVID-19, says Charania. That suggests the Pistons forward has entered the protocols for contact tracing reasons, which would result in a shorter isolation period as long as he continues to register negative tests.
However, Team USA is traveling to Tokyo soon, with their first game of the Olympics less than 10 days away. As such, the availability of both Beal and Grant for the Tokyo games remains very much up in the air.
While the hope is that Beal and Grant will be cleared to travel to Japan and play in the Olympics, the U.S. roster would require a pair of substitutes if both players are ultimately deemed unavailable.
In a story for The Athletic, Vardon suggested that Julius Randle might be a logical choice to replace Beal. Players who are part of the U.S. Select Team in Las Vegas – including Keldon Johnson, Saddiq Bey, and Darius Garland – are also viable candidates if USA Basketball is unable to secure a last-minute commitment from a veteran.
With the Suns and Bucks looking like they might be on track for a seven-game NBA Finals, Team USA was already at risk of being shorthanded to start the Olympics, since the turnaround for Devin Booker, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday would be extremely quick if a Game 7 is required. USA Basketball may have to make decisions soon on Beal and Grant to make sure the roster is at full strength for its first game on July 25.
Let me just copy my post from the Beal newspost
“This and the news that Tokyo is having a 6 month high in cases just leads me to ask again, why are we having the Olympics?”
definitely crazy to send the world’s best athletes to any place that is so infected. even japans own citizens are boycotting, they had 10,000 olympic workers just quit.
It’s crazy to send any group of people into a massive gathering like that in the middle of a global pandemic. It’s just absolutely asinine.
Meanwhile teens are having parties with underage drinking, not wearing masks, yelling and carrying on. It’s a global issue…
It’s obviously a global problem. This was a chat specifically about the Olympics but if we are going to expand into the global view than I’m more than willing to do that.
Randle should reject the offer to be a replacement if he gets it. He deserved to make it.
Yeah, turn down a chance to play for your country. That’ll show em!
Marcus Smart, Julius Randle or Kyle Lowry would be great replacements. I lean towards Randle
I’m guessing neither player is vaccinated? Didn’t Beal enter the protocol went Tatum caught COVId earlier in the year?
They need to put Kevin Love in “The dude sucks protocol” and get someone who can still play in to replace him.
So nominate someone. Waiting.
LOL. You actually need me to list names? Ok, off the top of my head, Zion, Christian Wood, John Collins, Julius Randle, Myles Turner… I could go on. If you need to fill the big white dude quota then Mason Plumlee would be a better choice than Love at this point.
usa needs guards man, beal’s out so lets replace him with a big?
They need bigs more than guards.
Those are mostly more forwards like is already on the team.
Turner is the best add, Lopez next but the group is thin and those two not selected in the final cutdown. IDKY, but when Turner played without Sabonis late last year, he got overwhelmed and the Pacers faded.
The best centers are foreign. They will not get much resistance from the USA team.
You did not research, just snarked. There is also a lack of PGs. USA just wants to waltz in without a full team and shock and awe everyone with athleticism then leave with gold. Making fun of Love is not facing the problem. There is no big white dude quota, there just are not options for physical FIBA ball. Not that white Aussies had a problem, going by results.
I think it is funny that you think Love is better than any of the guys I listed. He is not the same player he used to be. But I’m sure you are objective about it since he is your avatar, LOL.
In the comments after the Athletic article, it was assumed Beal was NOT vaccinated and tsk-tsk.
The top 10 rebouners this year were listed, and Westbrook was the only American. Suggestions included DwightHoward.
No PGs besides Lillard and Garland were listed, but Garland is still learning how to set others up. Still it would be good to give him a run.
Did you see that Garland no-look dime to Draymond in the Argentina game? I mean he almost turned the ball over initially but still, so smooth!
No. You think Garland should get a bigger role?
He might jump to backup, get some notice.
PS Zion has an injury.
Randle should reject the offer to be a replacement if he gets it. He deserved to make it.
Bad time for that hooker party…