One of many greatest tales to come back out of Group USA’s win over Serbia on Sunday was the truth that Jayson Tatum didn’t play a single second. You’d suppose it was as a result of damage or another main motive, however apparently coach Steve Kerr merely most popular to not have him play within the opening sport of the Olympics.
The Boston star shouldn’t be solely the reigning NBA champion, however was all the time anticipated to be a candidate to star within the crew’s beginning lineup this summer season. Nevertheless, he wasn’t even performed when the US led by 21 factors early within the fourth quarter.
“It’s actually exhausting to play greater than 10 guys in a 40-minute sport,” head coach Steve Kerr defined after the sport. “With Kevin [Durant] Coming again, I simply went to the combos that made essentially the most sense to me. It appears loopy. I assumed I used to be loopy once I checked out every little thing and determined that these had been the lineups I needed to go to.”
Stephen A. Smith:
“Reigning NBA champion Jayson Tatum… you’ll be able to’t discover a minute? Steve Kerr, that is full bullshit”
—CelticsUnite (@CelticsUnite18) July 30, 2024
Afterwards, the Warriors tactician informed ESPN’s Brian Windhorst in a separate interview that he felt “like an fool” for not letting the Celtics play ahead, however went on to elucidate that “each sport goes to be totally different primarily based on the matchups” whereas noting that JT “will play” all through the rest of the common season.
Kerr has been criticized for this. Charles Barkley, who gained Olympic gold with the 1992 Dream Group, defined why he sees this as a mistake. “Initially, he has to play. Everybody on the crew has to play,” he stated on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “Do it’s important to play 25-Half-hour? No, but it surely’s the Olympics. It is not like there’s that a lot degradation.”
“That is not an enormous demotion to place Jayson Tatum within the sport. Come on, man. All people deserves to play no less than 10 minutes. Chuck Each day did a terrific job. He had two beginning items,” the commentator praised the coach of the 1992 Dream Group.
“You possibly can’t count on somebody to go on the market and observe and never be within the rattling Olympics,” Chuck insisted throughout an interview with the Star of the Week. “Come on, man. You gotta give them 10, quarter-hour on the highway.”
One other NBA insider gave good the reason why not letting Tatum play might have an effect on Group USA’s efficiency in Paris
Throughout the identical SiriusXM NBA Radio present on Monday, ESPN’s Frank Isola identified a vital reality about JT’s absence from Group USA’s sport in opposition to Serbia this weekend. “Of the fellows on the present (Group USA) roster, no person acquired extra MVP votes for the (2023-24) season than Jayson Tatum. Hold that in thoughts,” the insider stated.
“He is only a 12 months away, or he is just some months away from profitable an NBA championship, coming actually near profitable the MVP title… it ended up being Jaylen Brown, who’s not even on the crew, however that is a complete different story that we can’t get into,” he continued.
Isola additionally realized that it isn’t straightforward to handle a roster filled with superstars, and is certain that not all of them can play each sport. But he simply can not perceive why Jayson can be the chosen one to remain on the bench for your complete sport.
“I get it. I perceive it’ll be 10 guys,” the knowledgeable shared. “… Steve Kerr has to make these robust selections, however does it should be Jayson Tatum? … I perceive what Steve Kerr is doing, however how do you come to the conclusion that it must be Tatum, simply primarily based on what everybody on this crew has executed the previous few months. Is he going to be the odd one out? I am not saying Lebron (James) must be the odd one out or Kevin Durant, however how is Jayson Tatum the odd one out?”