USA Basketball: Early starting lineup and bench projections for 2024

Who Should Go

Anthony Davis

I know I have been bringing up age when mentioning why other players should stay home, but center is the weakest position on this team. They recruited Embiid for a reason, but Davis gives them an elite option off the bench. He does have significant durability issues, but if he’s healthy he can step in and play the 4 or the 5, again making life miserable down low for other teams.

The US should try to look for any advantage they can get, and mixing Davis into the rotation will frustrate the majority of teams in Paris.

Bam Adebayo

Bam would and will be a great addition to this team. He is a solid on offense and can defend the paint at an elite level on defense. His mobility will prevent teams from getting beneficial matchups (similar to JJJ, Banchero, Embiid, and Davis). The versatility of the big men on this team will make scoring incredibly difficult for almost every team, as they can guard any position. Having 5 or 6 guys who can play the 5 will also give Team USA a lot of lineup combinations and no worries about depth, a luxury they haven’t had in the past.

Who Should Stay

Evan Mobley and Chet Holmgren

I am only putting them together because while they are turning into solid players in the league, Mobley and Chet don’t come close in pedigree to the other options this team has. If somebody gets injured leading up to the games either one of them could be a solid replacement option.