There have been discussions about canceling Team USA’s exhibition game with Australia on Friday due to the U.S. team’s COVID issues, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Olgun Uluc tweet. Bradley Beal has been ruled out of the Olympics and Jerami Grant has also been placed under health and safety protocols. Australia defeated Team USA earlier in the week.
We have more on Team USA:
- Coach Gregg Popovich is crestfallen for Beal, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “I’m dying for him. We all are,” Popovich said. “Since he’s a little kid this has been a dream of his, he was playing great, he was having fun, being a big part of us coming together chemistry-wise and as a family. So for him and his family, his immediate family, it’s devastating. We just feel horrible about it.”
- USA Basketball is checking into Tobias Harris‘ availability, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The Sixers forward is currently out of the country but is expected to return Saturday evening. Rockets big man Christian Wood is also being considered as Beal’s replacement.
- Heat center Bam Adebayo contributed 12 points, five assists, and five rebounds in the team’s victory over Argentina on Tuesday. Adebayo’s versatility could be a major component for the squad, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald writes. “The one thing about it is we don’t want everybody on the court thinking too much,” Adebayo said. “So I feel like with me and (Draymond Green), we have a responsibility to do all the little stuff — the screening, getting people open, making the extra pass. And obviously go score when there’s an opportunity.”
Feel like Wood would be a better addition. The US team should take this opportunity to add some size or they will get killed on the glass. They already have a lot of 4s on the roster.
I’d look into KAT (he prob already declined since they added klove lol) Brook Lopez or even someone like a Jarrett Allen. Think this team would be much stronger adding a 5 with some size.
Wood was clearly the better choice over Love. Does everything Love does better and more.
Love is one helluva bench rider, I don’t think Wood is good at that anymore.
KAT is under Dominican Republic representation in FIBA/Olympics. It would take a year or 2 for him to appeal to drop his Dominican representation.
They need size and playmaking badly. Wood is definitely a good option. But they also need some youth. Why not Lamelo?
Let’s see…there is still an active pandemic, the Olympics are right around the corner…what can I do to pass the time? I know! Vegas! Brilliant!
Tough to feel sorry for Beal. Unless he didn’t really care about the Olympics, and it doesn’t sound like that is the case, he brought this on himself. What a fool.
Sounds a lot like James Harden, maybe Beal will demand a trade when the season starts.
That’s really disrespectful. You dont have all the facts. Makes me sick tbh.
Harris should rest. All of the NBA players should be, esp if you were in the playoffs. I have some fears that we’ll see another serious injury maybe not as bad as PG13 but we’ll end up not having a stat player because of an ACL or Achilles type injury due to the season and the Olympic push.
Team USA should not want Harris. Dude disappears in big moments