What a fun topic! Definitely one to devote some time to. I don’t know how this topic got buried after so few posts. Oh, and I decided to err on the side of “strict” for determining whether someone is “US” or “International.” So you need to be born in the States to count, Islands don’t count.
Observations:
-I was amazed how frequently I had to write “going small.” Guess a lot of NBA big men come from overseas.
-Yugoslavia has a tremendous amount of NBA players. Seven total.
-I was amazed at just how many teams have an international player on their roster. Boston is one of only two teams with no international presence.
Final Top Ten for NBA turned Team USA teams:
1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. New Orleans
4. Lakers
5. Utah
6. Washington
7. Miami
8. Portland
9. Philadelphia
10. Houston
Honorable Mention: Indiana, Denver
Atlanta
Key losses: Zaza Pachulia (Georgia), Al Horford (D.R.)
Losing Zaza hurts a bit, losing Horford would be devastating in combination with Childress and Zaza. They’d probably be forced to go small, with Bibby, Joe Johnson, Mo Evans, Josh Smith, and Marvin Williams. No post presence and undersized. Before losing Childress, and if Horford were USA eligible, actually not a bad Olympic style squad. But with Childress gone and Horford from the Dominican Republic, not so much.
Boston
Key losses: none
We know. NBA champs and lose only Posey. I think with their chemistry and Allen and Pierce’s shooting, with KG’s big man range, they’d be very good in the Olympics
Charlotte
Key losses: Ajinca (France)
They’d be quite intact, but they’re not that good to begin with. Sean May is a huge wild card; if healthy, he helps them a lot. Felton, Richardson, Wallace, May, Okafor would’t be too bad a lineup for Olympic ball. Still gets beaten by elite international teams though.
Chicago
Key losses: Deng (Sudan), Gordon (U.K), Nocioni (Argentina), Sefalosha (Swiss)
Really depleted roster. Not even worth considering.
Cleveland
Key losses: Big Z (Russia), Pavlovic (Yugoslovia), Wally (Spain), Verejao (Brazil)
They’d still have James, but they really lose a lot, especially up front. They only have one PF/C, so they’d probably have to go Williams, Gibson, West, James, Wallace and be woefully undersized and hope they make every 3 pointer.
Dallas
Key losses: Dirk (Germany), Barea (P.R.), Diop (Senegal)
Come on, they lose Dirk and we’ve seen how useless Kidd is in the Olympics. No way.
Denver
Key losses: Nene (Brazil), Kleiza (Russia)
What chance they had left with Camby. A.I., J.R., Carmelo, Kenyon, Camby is not a bad lineup, but now replacing Camby with Andersen is a big drop off. They’d still score a lot, and probably be better than most other all-U.S. teams, but they don’t defend enough and aren’t good enough to win it all.
Detroit
Key losses: Hermann (Argentina), Samb (Senegal)
Nearly 100% intact, and, considering they were a top 5 team last season, remaining intact means they’d field a very good international team. Very good defense and shooting from all positions. Not much more to say, they’d be good.
Golden State
Key losses: Turiaf (France), Belinelli (Italy), Azubuike (UK), Biedrins (Latvia), Perovic (Croatia)
Well, they were a fringe playoff team last season, and lose Baron for Turiaf and Maggette, but Turiaf wouldn’t qualify for this team anyway. They also lose their best interior defender and rebounder in Biedrins. They’d have to go Ellis, Jackson, Maggette, Harrington, Wright and just run run run. However, with the major loss of depth, there’s no way they’d be able to run and score enough to overcome their incredible lack of defense and size.
Houston
Key losses: Ming (China), Scola (Argentina), Mutumbo (Congo)
So they lose their entire front court. They’d also be forced to go very small, with Alston, McGrady, Artest, Battier, and probably Landry at center. They’d be able to score a bit, but they’d give up a ton inside on defense and lack serious size. Not much of a threat.
Indiana
Key losses: Nesterovic (Yugoslovia)
They move up the NBA Olympic power rankings by virtue of remaining mostly intact. Ford, Dunleavy, Granger, Murphy, Foster is their starting lineup with Tinsley, Rush, McRoberts, Hibbert, Jack off the bench, so they’d have some depth and size. Murphy’s a good outside shooter from the 4 spot, and Dunleavy’s made some improvements recently, so I think they’d actually make some noise in the Olympics, especially since they actually have legit size and D in the middle with Foster.
LA Clips
Key losses: Kaman (Germany)
At least they’d have Camby to replace Kaman. Baron, Ricky D or Mobley, Thornton, Tim Thomas and Camby probably start. Gordon, either Ricky or Mobley, Jason Williams and Novak come off the bench. In my opinion, that’s a pretty ugly team. I think they get killed on D and they’re not that good on offense, either.
LA Lakers
Key losses: Pau Gasol (Spain), Vujacic (Yugoslovia), Radmanovic (Yugoslovia)
They’d still be a dangerous team, if Bynum and Mihm are healthy. They could start Fisher, Kobe, Ariza, Odom and Bynum and bring Farmar, Walton, Mihm off the bench. Better, still, than a lot of NBA teams, but they’d miss Gasol’s all-around game and Vlad’s shooting to put htem in an elite group.
Memphis
Key losses: Jaric (Yugoslovia), Darko (Yugoslovia), Marc Gasol (Spain)
I mean, they’re already a terrible team before trading Gasol and losing a couple solid players. Now they’re just awful. I guess they’d start Conley, OJ, Rudy, Antoine, Warrick? Or would they sub in Arthur for Antoine? Or go uber-small but start their best five, with Conley, Lowry, OJ, Rudy, Warrick? No matter what they’ll be awful. They really need to trade a point guard (Big Baby for Lowry! Do it now!)
Miami
Key losses: Diawara (France)
Huge wild card. They weren’t good last year, but there’s a reason: Wade was not himself. So not only is there the Wade question mark, but they’d be starting 2 rookies. Chalmers, Wade, Beasley, Marion, Blount. Chalmers could step in, as his shot and defense should translate to the international court, but he’s a second round draft pick who hasn’t played a minute of NBA time, so who knows. Beasley should be a very good player, and he has the range and versatility to do well in the international forum, especially alongside an athletic defender who can shoot like Marion. Wade is the best player on team USA right now, so that’s a big plus. And Blount. Blount’s pretty bad and unmotivated, but he’s not useless. His shot would be useful to open it up for Wade’s driving. I think they’d do ok, but a lot depends on two rookies.
Milwaukee
Key losses: Mbah a Moute (Cameroon) Bogut (Australia), Gadzuric (Netherlands)
They’re pretty bad anyway, and they’re kind of a roster mess, especially losing their two bigs in Bogut and Gadzuric. This would force them to go very small with Sessions, Bell, Redd, Jefferson and Villanueva. No post presence, pretty bad defense. Not much chance at all.
Minnesota
Key losses: none.
I guess I’d start Foye, Miller, Brewer, Love, Jefferson. I hate trying to project rookies, as there’s a 95% chance they won’t be as good as you think they will be. So I’m guessing that since Foye is overrated, Brewer is just bad, Love’s a rookie and Jefferson can’t exactly anchor a defense, they won’t be that good. Telfair, McCants, Craig Smith and Gomes off the bench doesn’t exactly strike fear into opponents’ hearts. But they’d be intriguing to watch. Lots of interesting pieces, not exactly a scary team though.
New Jersey
Key losses: Yi (China), Najera (Mexico)
They pretty much scrapped their team to land a big free agent in ’10, so the cupboard’s pretty bare. They could go Harris, Carter, Simmons…then what? Stromile and Sean Williams? Boone and Lopez? Until some of those guys round into true NBA starters, no chance.
New Orleans
Key losses: Peja (Yugoslovia)
Losing Peja hurts, but he’s not an all-star. New Orleans could still start Paul, Peterson, Julian Wright, David West and Chandler, with Mike James, Posey, Armstrong, Rasual Butler off the bench. Considering their success last year, I’d knock them down a bit, but not too far, for swapping Peja for Posey.
New York
Key losses: Gallinari
On the one hand, they only lose Gallinari, who hasn’t set foot in the NBA yet. On the other, they’re terrible with the current roster. I’m guessing they’d still be bad.
Oklahoma City
Key losses: Sene (Senegal), Petro (France)
They lose some size, about 18 minutes of Center time per game. They were awful last year, and though they’d lose Ridnour, Sene and Petro, they get Westbrook and Joe Smith to offset that. So they’d still be terrible. In order to really improve and become a viable Olympic contender, they need a lot of “ifs” to go right. If Westbrook can make the successful transformation from good college shooting guard to starting NBA point guard. If Robert Swift can come back fully healthy and continue to improve at both ends. If Jeff Green and Kevin Durant can improve a lot from their rookie seasons. Too many ifs to really be scared of right now.
Orlando
Key losses: Adonal Foyle (Grenadines), Turkoglu (Turkey), Gortat (Poland), Pietrus (Guadaloupe)
Good team on the rise, but their roster really becomes depleted internationally speaking. They’d be left with Nelson, Bogans, Lewis, Howard, Battie with a bench of Lee, Redick and Garrity. They could bring Battie off the bench and go small, but anytime that Lee (rookie 2nd rounder), Redick, Garrity, Bogans and Battie are a major part of your rotation, you’re in trouble.
Philadelphia
Key losses: Dalembert (Haiti)
Only one loss, but it’s a big one. This would force them to bump Brand to center and go small, or start Speights. I’d go small, with Louis Williams, Andre Miller, Iguodala, Thaddeus, Brand. Then Kareem, Speights, Green off the bench. Regardless of what they do, they’d be a fun team to watch, but they really lack the outside shooting for the NBA, let alone international play.
Phoenix
Key losses: Bell (Virgin Islands), Barbosa (Brazil), Nash (South Africa), Diaw (France)
I mean, they almost lose an above average NBA starting lineup. They’re toast.
Portland
Key losses: Batum (France), Fernandez (Spain), Rodriguez (Spain)
They’re a fringe playoff team, all of them young and improving. Of players who actually played for them last season, they only lose Sergio Rodriguez, who’s okay. Then they get to add Oden and experience for each of their youngsters. Maybe not this Olympics, but a few years down the road, watch out.
Sacramento
Key losses: Udrih
Good news: they lose only Udrih. Bad news: they are a terrible team and now they’ve lost Artest. No chance.
San Antonio
Key losses: Duncan (Virgin Islands), Ginobili (Argentina), Parker (Belgium), Mahinmi (France), Oberto (Argentina)
Um…no chance. Look at what they lose! Ouch.
Toronto
Key losses: Calderon (Spain), Bargnani (Italy), Jawai (Australia), Ukic (Croatia)
They lose a lot, probably too much to still be able to compete. They’d have to go with Anthony Parker, Kapono, Moon, Bosh, Humphries. They’d have Adams and Graham off the bench. No real point guard, no depth. I don’t think they’d do well.
Utah
Key losses: Kirilenko (Russia), Fesenko (Ukraine), Okur (Turkey)
Shows how deep Utah is. They lose two starters but they could still start Deron Williams, Brewer, Korver, Milsap, Boozer. Korver can give the shooting, and they have decent defense too. Brevin Knight, Harpring, and Collins fill out the bench. They’d be good.
Washington
Key losses: Songaila (Russia), Pecherov (Ukraine)
Another un-astounding team that moves up because they don’t lose much. They start Arenas, Daniels, Caron, Jamison, Haywood, and bring Dee Brown, Blatche, Stevenson, Nick Young, and Etan Thomas (if he’s healthy again). Not a bad international team; Jamison gives them the frontcourt range that is so valuable.
Topic: Which actual NBA Teams could win the GOLD MEDAL aside from the Celtics? (Read 8317 times)