Rudy Gay replaces KD on team USA

[Hey Yo]

Still has to make the cut though.

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine 19m

Rudy Gay has been with USA Basketball in past and will replace Kevin Durant as 16th member of squad vying for one of final 12 FIBA WC spots

[D-Rose]

Most will probably make some lame jokes about this...but it's a good move. He's long and athletic. Can play the 4 in the international game. I think he has a good chance of making the team actually.

[EricGordon23]

Derozan > Gay

[moe94]

Most will probably make some lame jokes about this...but it's a good move. He's long and athletic. Can play the 4 in the international game. I think he has a good chance of making the team actually.

Gay is pretty long, true

[noob cake]

Gay is a lock. He is here to play some defense in place of PG. Irving, Rose, Harden, Curry will have to carry the offensive load.

[D-Rose]

Derozan > Gay
True, but DeRozan can't play the 4, which is looking like a weak spot right now w/ KD out.

[Milbuck]

Rose/Irving/Lillard
Thompson/Harden/Curry
Gay/Derozan/Parsons
Davis/Parsons/Gay
Cousins/Drummond/Davis

Seems decent to me. Gives them size, scoring, and defense in the frontcourt, ton of shooting in the backcourt, and 3 SFs that will basically be there to play defense, hustle points, and play the Iggy role :confusedshrug:

Only problem is the complete lack of defense in the backcourt after Rose and Thompson..I guess Irving has shown flashes here and there..but it's not looking good.

[EricGordon23]

True, but DeRozan can't play the 4, which is looking like a weak spot right now w/ KD out.

Should add Kawhi or did he turn it down?

[D-Rose]

Rose/Irving/Lillard
Thompson/Harden/Curry
Gay/Derozan/Parsons
Davis/Parsons/Gay
Cousins/Drummond/Davis

Seems decent to me. Gives them size, scoring, and defense in the frontcourt, ton of shooting in the backcourt, and 3 SFs that will basically be there to play defense, hustle points, and play the Iggy role :confusedshrug:

Only problem is the complete lack of defense in the backcourt after Rose and Thompson..I guess Irving has shown flashes here and there..but it's not looking good.

They are not starting Cousins and Davis together IMO. If Gay doesn't make the starting 4, it will likely be Faried for energy and hustle.

Also, Korver and Faried are heavy favorites to make the team.

[KG215]

Rudy should be a better fit for the team than Durant, because unlike his predecessor Rudy isn't a spineless beta coward.
I mean seriously, mental exhaustion from 1 Finals trip in the last 4 years? :biggums: This is why Durant will never win a ring, he's a mental midget.
Durant has played more minutes than any other player in the NBA over the last four years. Is it really that hard to understand? And when is the last time Rudy Gay carried team USA to a gold medal like Durant did in 2010? If you want to be disappointed in Durant for pulling out so late in the process, fine, but at least do it with some level of moderate intelligence.

[KG215]

With Durant's soft ass gone, good pick up. Length, and defense. This is the lineup I'd roll with ... Coach K has to keep Boogie now for a more traditional size related lineup. Plus easy bucket opportunities underneath. With The Servant gone, we need most amount of talent possible.

Boogie / Drummond
A. Davis
R. Gay / Derozen / Parsons
Thompson / Harden
Rose / Curry / Kyrie
A soft ass who has repeatedly dominated international play every time he's participated. A soft ass who's averaged 29-8-4-1-1 on 49/38/89 shooting the last five seasons. A soft ass who's team has won 69% of their games the last five seasons. A soft ass who's proven, when the team is healthy, he going to at least get to the conference finals in a brutal Western Conference.

Come on man, I've seen you posting similar things about Durant in other threads since yesterday and it makes no damn sense. You're better than that.

[JT123]

Durant has played more minutes than any other player in the NBA over the last four years. Is it really that hard to understand? And when is the last time Rudy Gay carried team USA to a gold medal like Durant did in 2010? If you want to be disappointed in Durant for pulling out so late in the process, fine, but at least do it with some level of moderate intelligence.
1. KD has played the most minutes by choice, not because he had to. I remember the game last season when the Thunder blew out the Heat in Miami, and Durant played almost the entire 4th quarter despite the fact that his team was up by as many as 25 at one point. :facepalm He did this in several other games as well, so he doesn't get to pull the "tired" card.

2. He is only 25! Nuff said

[Good Ol JR]

Well ill be a sonofa bitch

[Trollsmasher]

Gay is the clutchest of the last generation. Having him play in Durant's place is a big improvement.

[Twiens]

A soft ass who has repeatedly dominated international play every time he's participated. A soft ass who's averaged 29-8-4-1-1 on 49/38/89 shooting the last five seasons. A soft ass who's team has won 69% of their games the last five seasons. A soft ass who's proven, when the team is healthy, he going to at least get to the conference finals in a brutal Western Conference.

Come on man, I've seen you posting similar things about Durant in other threads since yesterday and it makes no damn sense. You're better than that.

Don't take Lebron stans so serious, they're just trolling like always

[KG215]

1. KD has played the most minutes by choice, not because he had to. I remember the game last season when the Thunder blew out the Heat in Miami, and Durant played almost the entire 4th quarter despite the fact that his team was up by as many as 25 at one point. :facepalm He did this in several other games as well, so he doesn't get to pull the "tired" card.

2. He is only 25! Nuff said
You don't accumulate more minutes than any other player in the league simply "by choice." That's not how it works. There have been plenty of games where he's sat out the entire fourth quarter in blowouts over that four year stretch. Those, at the very least, makeup for the times he's stayed in for part or most of the fourth in a blowout.

[SamuraiSWISH]

A soft ass who has repeatedly dominated international play every time he's participated.
You're talking about talent ... I'm talking about CHARACTER / HEART / INTANGIBLES.

He just quit on his teammates, commitment, and country. At the LAST MINUTE. Not due to injury. Due to vague mental / physical "exhaustion." He's only 25.

You're really playing mental gymnastics to excuse this?

:oldlol:

[bdreason]

I like the addition. We need a lengthy wing player for defensive purposes.

[KG215]

You're talking about talent ... I'm talking about CHARACTER / HEART / INTANGIBLES.

He just quit on his teammates, commitment, and country. At the LAST MINUTE. Not due to injury. Due to vague mental / physical "exhaustion." He's only 25.

You're really playing mental gymnastics to excuse this?

:oldlol:
It's not mental gymnastics. You're the one taking the lazy rout and using this one instance to label an immensely talented, hardworking player as being a "soft ass," while ignoring the rest of his body of work during his career. I have no problem admitting Durant backing out at the last minute looks bad, but to jump on it and come to the conclusion that the only reason is because he's soft? Really?

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Rose/Thompson/Gay/Davis/Cousins


How would that starting lineup do next season?

[Done_And_Done]

It's not mental gymnastics. You're the one taking the lazy rout and using this one instance to label an immensely talented, hardworking player as being a "soft ass," while ignoring the rest of his body of work during his career. I have no problem admitting Durant backing out at the last minute looks bad, but to jump on it and come to the conclusion that the only reason is because he's soft? Really?

Last minute or not, if he felt as though he wasn't capable of playing up to his normal stratum then so be it. He came to this conclusion whilst training for the tourney. He's human. It happens. People need to seriously stop perceiving athletes as indomitable machines.

[stalkerforlife]

Why the heck was Gay invited and not Leonard?

Parsons better damn well make it over Gay.

[KG215]

Why the heck was Gay invited and not Leonard?

Parsons better damn well make it over Gay.
Pretty sure Leonard was invited but declined or something like that.

[stalkerforlife]

Pretty sure Leonard was invited but declined or something like that.

Oh, okay. Makes sense.

[D-Rose]

Why the heck was Gay invited and not Leonard?

Parsons better damn well make it over Gay.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11222189/kawhi-leonard-san-antonio-spurs-withdraws-team-usa


Kawhi Leonard withdrew from consideration for the U.S. basketball team's roster for the FIFA World Cup, saying he's learned that he needs to take a break after watching the struggles of Spurs teammates Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili during the regular season after they played through last summer for their national teams.

I find it hilarious that ESPN has FIFA instead of FIBA in there lol

[Rocketswin2013]

His chucking is scary. Absolute blackhole. He has literally made every team he's been on the past 3 years worse..

[stalkerforlife]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/11222189/kawhi-leonard-san-antonio-spurs-withdraws-team-usa



I find it hilarious that ESPN has FIFA instead of FIBA in there lol

Thanks for the heads up.

I still don't want Gay on this team.

[SexSymbol]

Gay is below average player, why would they want him on the team?

Obviously because Durant pussied out of NT because of George's injury, somebody has to replace him. But couldn't USA find something better?

[hawkfan]

Gay is below average player, why would they want him on the team?

Obviously because Durant pussied out of NT because of George's injury, somebody has to replace him. But couldn't USA find something better?


Coach K likes him and must be unhappy with Hayward and/or Parsons.

[Cone]

A soft ass who has repeatedly dominated international play every time he's participated. A soft ass who's averaged 29-8-4-1-1 on 49/38/89 shooting the last five seasons. A soft ass who's team has won 69% of their games the last five seasons. A soft ass who's proven, when the team is healthy, he going to at least get to the conference finals in a brutal Western Conference.

Come on man, I've seen you posting similar things about Durant in other threads since yesterday and it makes no damn sense. You're better than that.

that bulls fan is legit retarded. please be easy on him.

[andremiller07]

I like the addition. We need a lengthy wing player for defensive purposes.
He's a crap defender

[SamuraiSWISH]

He's a crap defender
Play the passing lanes though ... those arms. He isn't bad when he applies himself. And on a team that doesn't need his energy offensively, he can be better than his average in the league.

[Legends66NBA7]

Possibly on the same team again...

http://wpmedia.o.canada.com/2013/09/nba_raptors_media_day_20130930_28615989.jpg

[Done_And_Done]

Possibly on the same team again...

http://wpmedia.o.canada.com/2013/09/nba_raptors_media_day_20130930_28615989.jpg

As long as it's not in a Raptors uniform, I'm good with this....

[russwest0]

Rudy Gay is the rebound chick

[Dragic4Life]

Same impact.

[tomSR.]

Gay is a lock. He is here to play some defense in place of PG. Irving, Rose, Harden, Curry will have to carry the offensive load.

Can Curry take Gay

[Milbuck]

How would that starting lineup do next season?
Like in the NBA season as a starting lineup? They'd wreck the league no question. If Rose's health is for real and he doesn't get hurt again..they'd push 70 wins. Davis/Cousins alone on a normal team would be scary.

[OncePerMonth]

That gold seems to be slipping out of their fingers by the day.

[BoutPractice]

Could be a good opportunity for Davis to take on a big role on the team, as Durant himself did in 2010...

[GimmeThat]

I see him playing more of a role closer to what Wade did for the team.

I just don't see him making up for Durant's 3.

in which there's Harden/Curry to a certain extense Irving

[JellyBean]

We do not have any leaders on the court now. This could be 2004 all over again. :facepalm

[D-Rose]

We do not have any leaders on the court now. This could be 2004 all over again. :facepalm
I think the management/coaching is a huge difference now.

[GimmeThat]

I think the management/coaching is a huge difference now.


you still only get that many time outs per game

[kshutts1]

Gay gets really hated on here. He may not be a top 5 player in the league, but he's certainly no slouch.

That being said, I appreciate the USA trying to build a proper team, but you can't tell me that a guy whose strongest attribute is scoring is a better option than a defensive player when we already have Rose, Irving, Lillard, Cousins, Korver...

Did Iguodala decline? Afflalo? Wiggins? Butler? Stephenson? All would be better fits than Gay.

And, no offense, but spare me the "small ball 4" crap, that none of them could pull off. If Durant, at all of 150 pounds, is listed as a small-ball 4, then we're in trouble. I'd rather have the added weight of the above players than the height of Durant.

[Legends66NBA7]

Gay gets really hated on here. He may not be a top 5 player in the league, but he's certainly no slouch.

That being said, I appreciate the USA trying to build a proper team, but you can't tell me that a guy whose strongest attribute is scoring is a better option than a defensive player when we already have Rose, Irving, Lillard, Cousins, Korver...

Did Iguodala decline? Afflalo? Wiggins? Butler? Stephenson? All would be better fits than Gay.

And, no offense, but spare me the "small ball 4" crap, that none of them could pull off. If Durant, at all of 150 pounds, is listed as a small-ball 4, then we're in trouble. I'd rather have the added weight of the above players than the height of Durant.

Butler and Iguodala probably stayed out for rest. Afflalo and Stepehenson probably weren't the coaches top choices and had recently moved teams, so I don't think wanted to get particularly involved. Wiggins is Canadian.

[Haymaker]

Is Kawhi available?

[kshutts1]

Butler and Iguodala probably stayed out for rest. Afflalo and Stepehenson probably weren't the coaches top choices and had recently moved teams, so I don't think wanted to get particularly involved. Wiggins is Canadian.
:facepalm I knew that. Got a little excited, I guess.

[Legends66NBA7]

Is Kawhi available?

He already declined. Needed rest.