Week 7 News Update and Team USA Update and Recap

Monday July 30th

Devonte' Graham signed a 1 year deal with the Blazers. The Blazers are not going to be very good this season. 

Precious Achiuwa signed a 1 year 6 million dollar deal to return to the New York Knicks. Achiuwa helped anchor the Knicks center position when they dealt with injuries in the playoffs. 

Tuesday July 31st 

Luke Kennard signed a 1 year 11 million dollar deal to return to the Memphis Grizzlies. The deal helped save about 3 million dollars in cap space for the Grizzlies. 

Jarrett Allen signed a 3 year 91 million dollar deal with the Cavs. Allen gets a good extension and the Cavs lock up a core player for at least the next 4 years. 

Thursday August 1st 

Gordon Hayward announced his retirement from basketball. The 2010 draftee had a stellar career for multiple teams. He was the second to last person left in the NBA from the 2010 draft class. He was a phenomenal player before his injury in 2018 to his ankle. 

Saturday August 3rd 

Cole Swider signed a 1 year non-guaranteed deal with the Indiana Pacers. The Syracuse alum had really good stints with the Heat and Lakers G League team before being picked up by the Pacers. 

The ball should get rolling this upcoming week with free agency. Every team is watching to see what the Jazz do with Lauri Markkanen. Once the August 6th deadline on his contract extension comes around I expect a lot more teams to start filling out their roster. The Pelicans have not extended Brandon Ingram. There's not a lot of teams interested in trading for him, but if those interested in Markkanen cannot acquire him they'll turn to acquiring Ingram instead. 

Team USA 

Team USA had two pool games this week to try and advance to the knockout stage of the 2024 Paris Olympics. On Wednesday the USA faced off against South Sudan and on Saturday they faced off against Puerto Rico. At the end there will be a breakdown of the USA roster and how they played in the group stage portion of the Olympics. 

USA vs South Sudan 

The London rematch vs South Sudan went a little different this time around. The USA got out to a fast start with the lineup of Lebron James, Steph Curry, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, and Devin Booker. The lineup change of Tatum, starting instead of Holiday and Anthony Davis starting instead of Joel Embiid. It’s not surprising since South Sudan plays a lot of wings and plays 5 out. The USA struggled defending South Sudan with Embiid on the floor the previous time. The USA led 26-14 after the second unit of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Kevin Durant, and Bam Adebayo kept the momentum going to end the first quarter. The USA shared the ball well and they did not give up the easy transition threes like they did last time against South Sudan. The defense and offense hummed together smoothly and allowed for the USA to stretch their lead at halftime to 55-36. The third quarter started strong, but South Sudan started to cut into the lead and got it down to 11 at one point. However, Lebron James was able to control the game until the end and the USA matched the intensity of South Sudan until the end of the game that saw them win 103-86. Embiid did not play which wasn’t surprising and Tyrese Haliburton played for the first time in these Olympics. The USA ball movement was spectacular again as they had 29 assists on 37 made shots. They held South Sudan to 42.1% shooting from the floor. The USA also forced 19 turnovers. The USA was able to clinch a berth into the knockout rounds with the win. 

USA vs Puerto Rico

The starting lineup for the USA featured Steph Curry, Lebron James, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid. Jrue Holiday was ruled out of the game due an ankle injury suffered against South Sudan, but will be able to play in the knockout stage. The USA got off to a sluggish start against Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico made a lot of threes early on and took advantage of USA sleepwalking through most of the first quarter. The transition defense and communication on defense for the USA was very slow in the opening period and something that was uncharacteristic of the team in the two games prior. The second unit of Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Derrick White, Bam Adebayo, and Anthony Davis were able to kickstart the USA and saw them gain the lead early in the second quarter. Lebron James had a highlight filled second quarter as he picked apart the Puerto Rico defense with some fantastic passing. Him playing the point guard for the USA this summer has really helped the offense. The USA took a 64-45 halftime lead. The third quarter saw the USA do much of the same as they did in the second quarter. They shared the ball and were able to suffocate the smaller Puerto Rico guards into a lot of turnovers. In the fourth quarter it was the Anthony Edwards show as the young star blazed through the Puerto Rico defense whenever he wanted and hit a bunch of tough jump shots. He capped off the big USA win 104-83 with a monster windmill dunk. He had a game-high and tournament-high for the USA with 26 points on 11/15 shooting from the field.  Tatum had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. Lebron James had 10 points, 8 assists, and 6 rebounds. The USA again shared the ball really well with 30 assists on 40 made shots. They’ll match up with Brazil in the quarterfinals on Tuesday August 6th. 

I also wanted to get a breakdown of the players on the roster and they fared in the group stage portion of the Olympics. 

Lebron James

James has arguably been the best player throughout the entire USA campaign. He’s been playing the point forward for the first unit and is the vocal leader of the team. His voice and energy has been fantastic as he tries and captures his third gold medal. 

Steph Curry 

Curry has been good so far this Olympics, but it feels like a signature game from Curry is close. He’s been shooting it well, but not to the expectations he’s set so high throughout his career. Nevertheless, the defense’s attention and detail to try and stay attached to him, has generated easy offense for everyone else on the floor. His size also has not been an issue on the defensive end when USA switches screens. 

Joel Embiid 

Embiid has been a focus point for French fans throughout the Olympics. Team USA recruited him last summer and he chose to represent the USA over France. The French fans have booed him anytime he’s touched the ball this Olympics and embiid has instigated them as well. He’s been sluggish throughout the group stage games, but his size and ability is still challenging for opposing teams. His future playing time will be determined on matchups throughout the rest of the tournament. 

Jrue Holiday 

Holiday missed the game against Puerto Rico, but will be back for the game against Brazil. He’s been the USA’s best perimeter defender and their most important glue guy. Similarly when he’s with the Celtics when he’s been a screener and the opposing team has had issues because of his passing skills out of the short roll. He also has been hounding the opposing team’s ball handler all the way up the floor and has disrupted their offense. I expect he'll close games out for the USA in future games. 

Derrick White 

White along with Holiday has been outstanding for the USA on the perimeter. He’s been very unselfish and does not care about shooting the ball. His acceptance of this role validates the decision from Grant Hill to pick him for this team, after many criticized him for the decision. USA has been a +52 when he’s on the floor for them. 

Devin Booker

No one has been more unselfish than Booker this Olympics on team USA. He’s coming off a year where he averaged 27 points per game and career-high in assists for his career. He has been reduced more to a spot up shooter and a defensive minded guard as he also has been causing trouble for opponents on the perimeter. His commitment to a 3 and D role has allowed for USA to space the floor and flourish on both ends of the ball. 

Bam Adebayo 

Bam has been a monster on defense for the USA. He’s been able to switch 1-5 and kept any guard in front and forced a bunch of low quality shots when he’s been defending the ball. His offense on the inside has helped because teams can’t double off anyone else on the floor making it easy for Adebayo to get points in the paint. 

Anthony Davis

Davis has been an absolute terror in the paint this Olympics. Opponents shoot an absurd 35.3% when he’s been defending the basket. He also leads team USA in blocks and has keyed the transition offense with his rebounding as well. On Offense he’s been dunking everything and finishing around the basket well. I think the USA is at their best when he’s at the center position instead of Embiid. 

Anthony Edwards

Edwards had his welcome moment when he erupted for 26 points Saturday against Puerto Rico. He’s been the best offense from the guard position for the USA this summer. His defense pressure has also generated a lot of turnovers. At just 22 years old he’s primed for a signature game in the knockout stage.

Kevin Durant 

After not playing in any of the showcase games for team USA. Durant announced his return in stunning fashion as he torched Serbia for 23 points on 8-9 shooting from the floor. In all honesty it was a euphoric experience watching him dial up three after three in the opening group stage game. He’s currently 10-13 from three this Olympics and continues to pace the second unit's offense this summer. 

Jayson Tatum 

Tatum has had a slow start to his Olympics after not playing against Serbia and only scoring 4 points against South Sudan he finally turned it around against Puerto Rico with a double-double. I think Tatum needs to understand he should be using his size a little bit more as he’s a 6 '10 wing. Every team has trouble matching up with him. Him posting up and taking advantage of his size will help him find more success I think. 

Tyrese Haliburton 

Halliburton has been the odd man out on the USA squad. He hasn’t played very much, but that hasn’t stopped him at all. He’s been a great teammate, who is always ready for his next opportunity.