# Does anybody think its a bad idea to bring back Lebron and Wade Back ?



## mr.ankle20 (Mar 7, 2004)

Does anybody think its a bad idea to bring Lebron and Wade Back ? There games are way to similar with slashing There Jump Shooting really has been awful in In Fiba Competion . Does anybody think Allen and Redd should take spot next year ?


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## ScottVdub (Jul 9, 2002)

Continuity is a good thing. They aren't far off from winning a gold medal, it could have gone either way. It's not like these tournaments are against some chumps. These are professional basketball players, and teams that they are going up against. Let them learn from their mistakes, Wade and Lebron are still very young in terms of professional experience. They are intelligent players and they will step it up in the Olympics.


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## D.J. (Mar 9, 2006)

They're still able to contend for a medal so they didn't do bad. These guys normally don't play with each other and they play against guys who have played with each other for years. Offense isn't a problem, they need defense.


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## BG7 (Jun 25, 2003)

I'd leave Lebron home and add Redd and Gordon to the team for outside shooting (Allen won't play). We also need to revamp the frontcourt, as far as I'm concerned, Dwight Howard is the only one tough enough to stay, bye Bosh, bye Brand, bye Miller. Oden and Amare should fll 2 of the spots.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

mr.ankle20 said:


> Does anybody think its a bad idea to bring Lebron and Wade Back ? *There games are way to similar* with slashing There Jump Shooting really has been awful in In Fiba Competion . Does anybody think Allen and Redd should take spot next year ?


LeBron and Wade don't play alike at all. In these international games, Wade is slashing, going one-on-one and finishing more. LeBron is often playing off the ball and being more of a point, sometimes playing the PG position for stretches better than the official PGs we put on the floor. Different games, different styles.


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## L (Sep 20, 2005)

IMO we....
Keep:

Bosh
Howard
Melo
Wade
Hinrich
Paul
Battier
Miller
Brand


Get:
Kobe
Redd
Gordan

get Rid of:
LBJ
Jamison
Johnson

Paul/Hinrich
Redd/Wade/Gordan
Kobe/Melo
Battier/Bosh
Howard/Brand/Miller


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## Mr. Hobbes (Jul 1, 2005)

The problem is the players we want to play, don't want to play.


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## L (Sep 20, 2005)

WTChan said:


> The problem is the players we want to play, don't want to play.


So true.


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## mr.ankle20 (Mar 7, 2004)

remy23 said:


> LeBron and Wade don't play alike at all. In these international games, Wade is slashing, going one-on-one and finishing more. LeBron is often playing off the ball and being more of a point, sometimes playing the PG position for stretches better than the official PGs we put on the floor. Different games, different styles.




There games are really similar Both Wade and Lebron score most of their points by slashing that was it . Check out there three point percentage its awful. I think it's ok to have one of the player but not both. They need a need a complimentary player who can shoot the three point shot a good percentage. Like Allen , Redd , Arenas Gordon etc


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## P33r~ (Nov 22, 2004)

Redd would be my first addition to the US team. The US are really missing that lightning fast accurate shooting stroke from behind the 3. Replace Johnson with Redd, it's a no-brainer.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

mr.ankle20 said:


> There games are really similar Both Wade and Lebron score most of their points by slashing that was it . Check out there three point percentage its awful. I think it's ok to have one of the player but not both. They need a need a complimentary player who can shoot the three point shot a good percentage. Like Allen , Redd , Arenas Gordon etc


LeBron has trouble slashing in FIBA rules because he'll get called for more charges. Unlike Wade who uses a finesse drive based upon a quick first step, LeBron uses a quick first step (for a guy his size) combined with his power (if there's contact, you'll be blown out of the play). In the NBA, LeBron's drive is nice but in FIBA, James has to drive where there's less reistance because he isn't as good at the finesse drive that Wade is. Plus LeBron isn't interested in scoring too much on a deep team like this Team USA. Wade seemed more aggressive, looking for his offensive a bit more. As with the NBA, Wade is simply more aggressive and LeBron is more passive. LeBron can be your point or go into the post as well. The thing with James is you have to keep moving him around because you can have debates for ages where his best position is (or if he truly even has a position, since he's blurred the lines so much). But with Wade, you have a better idea how to employ him and he generally contributes in that way.


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## One on One (Dec 12, 2004)

I would not mind seeing Lebron cut. He doesn't have the ballhandling to be the playmaker and he doesn't have the finesse moves to be the finisher. What can he give us? I would like to keep Wade though.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Get rid of Lebron? Are you people serious? He was one of the best players in this tournament for the US.

Maybe 6:30 AM was too early for you to get up? Were you just looking at the box score?

Lebron and Wade were the reason we were able to bronze today.
Lebron was the one keeping us with a chance to win against Greece at the end of the game. He's been our best point guard of the tournament. 

Lebron and Wade (along with Melo) are the best players for the US. Each plays a very different role, and they'll all be vital in '08. 

Of course none of them are leaving. And considering their performances in this tournament, I can't imagine why anyone would want them gone aside from previously established personal bias.


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## iloveu (Aug 28, 2004)

I don't see why we should cut either of them. Both played very well and scored efficiently. I think Lebron's playmaking was extremely valuable to the team. I expect Lebron and Wade to have improved on their shooting and defense a bit by 2008. 

I'd like to see Bron, Wade, Melo, Paul, Hinrich, Dwight, and Brand back. Maybe some other guys too. Lack of experience and cohesiveness were two big disadvantages for us. We should try to keep as much of the core together as possible while adding some of the top players that missed out this year.


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## universal! (Mar 5, 2006)

D.J. said:


> They're still able to contend for a medal so they didn't do bad. These guys normally don't play with each other and they play against guys who have played with each other for years. Offense isn't a problem, they need defense.


Props for pointing out that basketball is played on two ends of the floor. When a team shoots 60% against you, you're going to lose.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Look *be nice now*, Lebron, Wade, and Melo were our three best players. Get that through your thin little ninjapoop skulls. *be nice*.

And who gives a rat's *** if Lebron and Wade play the same. Obviously anyone who is complaining about that didn't watch the games because Coach K is using Wade with the second unit. So it doesn't matter if they play the same. They aren't usually on the floor together.

Lebron plays best with Hinrich, Melo, Johnson, Howard. Guarding international 4's and running the point for team USA(which he did better than anyone in the games that mattered(someone put out an APB on Chris Paul)).

Seriously. Some of you have sloppy aim when it comes to finding your goats to scape.

But whatever. Lebron is one of the leaders of the team, and he has signed on for the 3 years and seems set on honoring them. There's no way that Colengalo cuts him from the team. Especially given how young he is. 3 years from now he'll only be 24, but he'll have played in the NBA almost 6 years. These young guys are going to be veterans by then.

By the way, Lebron played great against Argentina today. He was barking down the door of a triple double, against one of the four best teams in the world, in Argentina.

He and DWade, the two guys you want to try and boot off, were instrumental in getting us the win.

But hey, don't let reality get in the way of your fanfictions.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

If Kobe comes back, one of them has to go.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Air Fly said:


> If Kobe comes back, one of them has to go.


Not really.

Lebron/Kobe=Playmaker/Scorer(SF/SG)
Wade/Melo=Playmaker/Scorer(SG/SF)

First unit.
Second Unit.


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## ChiBron (Jun 24, 2002)

I just don't get the LeBron/Wade bashing. Throughout the entire tournament+exhibition games they were the best and most consistent players on team USA after 'Melo. Why the hell would you wanna get rid of them?


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

SPMJ said:


> I just don't get the LeBron/Wade bashing. Throughout the entire tournament+exhibition games they were the best and most consistent players on team USA after 'Melo. Why the hell would you wanna get rid of them?


These are mostly the same people who do it throughout the NBA season, as well. They're just looking for another reason to bash them in the offseason, and the WC is the most obvious place, especially since we didn't win gold. 

But yeah, they're 2 of the 3 best players on the team. I have a feeling that most of the people complaining either know they're wrong, or just don't know the game of basketball that well. Probably both.


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## Air Fly (Apr 19, 2005)

SPMJ said:


> I just don't get the LeBron/Wade bashing. Throughout the entire tournament+exhibition games they were the best and most consistent players on team USA after 'Melo. Why the hell would you wanna get rid of them?


Get rid of one of them if Kobe comes back. You wanna have a balance team and not too many scorers and guys who demand touches. I think Kobe, Bron and Melo coming off the bench is good enough, replace Wade with a 3 point shooter like Ray Allen.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

Yes bring them back because who are you going to stick in their place who would do better? I like what we have in Melo, LeBron, Wade, Hinrich, Battier, Paul, Johnson, Howard and Brand. Throw Kobe in the mix and roll your dice with that. 

No team we put out there is capable of dominating like before, because the rest of the world is putting teams of the floor that are pretty damn good, but Team USA has as good of a shot as anyone.


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## 77AJ (Feb 16, 2005)

Sir Patchwork said:


> Yes bring them back because who are you going to stick in their place who would do better? I like what we have in Melo, LeBron, Wade, Hinrich, Battier, Paul, Johnson, Howard and Brand. Throw Kobe in the mix and roll your dice with that.
> 
> No team we put out there is capable of dominating like before, because the rest of the world is putting teams of the floor that are pretty damn good, but Team USA has as good of a shot as anyone.


The rest of the world has gotten better, but it's not only that. Our squads since the Australia Olympics haven't been as good IMO. Much less compare the US teams to the phenomenon that was the 1992 Barcelona team.


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## 7thwatch (Jul 18, 2002)

I think they should both be back, no question in my mind. How good is Lebron gonna be in 2 or 3 years? Both have improve their jumpshots over the past couple of years and I have no doubt that their shots and allaround games will improve by the time the olympics come around. They are talented and hardworking. 

One guy i would like us to take a look at is Rip Hamilton. No one seems to mention him, but he has two big things going for him in my mind

1) He knows how to play without the ball, one of the best in the league in this respect and i think this is a very important skill on a team full of stars who are used to having the ball all the time.

2) He has a teammate (Billups) who will be joining the squad . . . they could be used as the pg and sg in one "unit" and would instantly have the benefit of playing together for the past several years.


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## Sir Patchwork (Jan 12, 2005)

23AJ said:


> The rest of the world has gotten better, but it's not only that. Our squads since the Australia Olympics haven't been as good IMO. Much less compare the US teams to the phenomenon that was the 1992 Barcelona team.


Well the 1992 team came together perfect, all while the competition wasn't a tenth as good as it is now. The Dream Team had not only legends, but veteran legends. Does anyone remember if anyone turned down the 1992 team? 

If nobody turned it down, we'd be looking at Kobe, Garnett, Duncan, Carmelo, LeBron, Wade, Allen, Brand, McGrady and Billups type team. This is the best combination of talent the USA could put out in my opinion, yet 6 of them aren't with the team for one reason or another, and 3 of them would have starting spots (Kobe, Garnett, Duncan). It's hard to imagine a lineup Wade, Kobe, LeBron, Garnett and Duncan getting outplayed.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

That's why this idea of an actual program is so exciting. Building continuity with our superstars in the games will result in the best basketball team america has ever put on the floor(and we still may not win gold! That's a single elimination tournament for you). Lebron, Wade, Melo in three years after playing together for three summers in a row under the same system? Mmmm hmmm. And you're throwing Kobe in the mix as well? Hopefully we get Kobe for 2 summers. But damn how is that not something to be excited about. We'll have Howard and Oden. A half court offense and defense.

Be patient kids. Christmas doesn't just happen every day, you have to wait for it sometimes.


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