Aug 1, 2014; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Team USA basketball players clap as injured teammate Paul George is lifted on to a gurney after suffering a leg injury during the USA Basketball Showcase at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Thought Of The Week
Michael Saenz: Kevin Durant left Team USA camp late last week, shortly after Paul George’s freak accident. While many are pointing to Durant’s departure from the team to what he witnessed the day George got injured, there’s another potential reason as to why the second best player on the planet dropped out of the FIBA World Cup — LeBron James. Year-in and year-out, LeBron and his teams just keep getting better. During the last few seasons, it was the Miami Heat. This offseason, he did it again with the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron joined a Cavalier team that didn’t make the playoffs last season and are potentially already better than Durant’s Thunder, who have been perennial powers in the monster that is the Western Conference.
Perhaps it was time for Durant to rest. And while George’s injury probably played some sort of role in Durant’s withdrawal, we can’t overlook a bigger reason why Durant could’ve pulled out. LeBron keeps getting better. His team keeps getting better. And he’s resting. If Durant’s Thunder aren’t getting THAT much better (and they’re not), he might as well rest. Sooner or later, Durant and LeBron are going to face off again in the NBA Finals. And if that happens to be after this upcoming season, Durant needs to make sure it’s not after playing an extra month of FIBA basketball. Just a thought.
John Armstrong: This has been an interesting and exciting offseason to say the very least. A lot of big splashes were made, but let’s not forget about the importance of roster continuity and its role in player/team development. It’s why San Antonio remains so dominant and why I’ve cast my hometown Wizards as a sleeper in the East.
And also, I’m auctioning off first row seats to eat with Dwight Howard and James Harden. The highest bidder right now is Patrick Beverly.
Morten Jensen: Wherever LeBron James goes lately, talent seems to either follow him, or be there prior to his arrival. In some ways, I get it. You can’t win alone, and you need quality pieces around you, regardless of your stature. But there is a part of me who wish he’d play with what I refer to as an “average supporting cast”. LeBron and Kyrie Irving as your two best players isn’t a bad thing by any means, but things get a bit easier when Kevin Love, Shawn Marion, and now possibly Ray Allen, decides to jump aboard. This isn’t a knock on James, because why would (or should) he ever deny talent? This is me, wanting to see LeBron take a middle-of-the-pack supporting cast, and absorb his brilliance in leading them as far as he can.
George Middleton: Team USA adds Rudy Gay to replace Kevin Durant and Paul George. The team will still win the gold; they still have Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Derrick Rose.
Bryce Olin: Is this the end of Team USA basketball as we know it? After Paul George’s gruesome leg injury, Kevin Durant pulled out of the FIBA World Cup. You have to wonder how much George’s injury factored into his decision. You also have to wonder how this affects Team USA for the Olympics and into the future. I guess we’ll find out.
David Ramil: While Paul George’s injury was horrific and possibly career-threatening, I still think that professional players should be actively involved in international play through the USAMNT. The reality is that the leg break could have happened anywhere. NBA players spend the summer training and playing basketball – in pickup games, hometown gyms or on goodwill tours across the globe. There is no way to prevent them from happening and George’s injury, while unfortunate, shouldn’t keep stars from being involved in the process. The opportunity to represent their country is too great to pass up.
Brandon Osborne: I just want to say I hope that Paul George has a successful recovery. Watching the Blue-White scrimmage and seeing his injury was terrifying. I also don’t see many players wanting to skip playing for Team USA, but I do imagine owners will attempt to put clauses in the contracts prohibiting them from playing in summer leagues and tournaments.