Hoops

The Boomers minus Simmons thread

It is not limited by age for basketball and yes anyone eligible for WC is eligible for olympics

I can’t remember the rules around who can play in the Olympics. Can all current USA, Canada, Boomers, who can play in the WC also play in the Olympics?

Is it only soccer where it’s limited to some degree by age?

Well, looking at this world cup omission issue from a different perspective, here we go......

The world cup of: soccer (football), rugby, cricket, so on and so on are all so highly regarded and positions among athletes to represent their country in a world cup (Olympics also to a large degree) are also considered at a premium I believe.

So, do we consider the world cup of basketball in this elite field, as spectators, media, the players and of course the corporate sponsors??

I am certain many players want this above almost anything else, but for basketball, is the world cup the pinnacle, is it as much an incentive as the world cup of soccer (the other world game)?

Just throwing out the idea that while we are lovers of the game and I for one am also sad not to see our very best possible team, I do wonder if it is some stigma or something other than a player just deciding other things are more important?

It isn't just the player perhaps that thinks this way..........perhaps!!

Perhaps the last hurdle to signing the max was an assurance that he won't play for the Boomers this year?

But yeah we should find out either way soon

I understand what everyone is saying about his jump shot and contracts and all those other things but what is stopping Simmons from being around the boys and working on those aspects of his game that he needs to work on in the Boomers environment ?

If we do have him for Olympics then you want him being more familiar with his team mates and coaching staff.

Disappointing for Boomers fans, but I understand it from Simmons point of view. He's got a maximum contract extension on the table and with Butler out of the picture, his team is depending on him as the primary play-maker to lead them to the East Finals at minimum. Next season is a huge opportunity for him to make a name for himself, so if he wants to devote his Summer to improving his jumper instead of playing for the Boomers, I can't blame him really.

Our medal chances take a huge hit with him out, but we still have a lot of experience, good size, defence and shooting, so I think we can still be in the mix for a top 4 finish. I really hope Food For Thought is right and Broekhoff makes himself available. His combination of shooting, defence and rebounding would be invaluable for the Boomers.

Look, there's no evidence that this has anything to do with his national allegiance whatsoever. There are more people making this decision than just Ben alone.

On another note, I did notice that promotions for the Boomers series never included Ben in their posters, even after he announced his availability. Did the guys up top know all along this would end this way?

Grew up in the USA? Nah. Grew up in Aus.
Went to final year of high school and one year of college over there.
Had American accent within first week of arrival to the USA.

Well, his father is American. Your accent often is influenced by your parents and immediate surroundings. I don't think things would have gone this far if Ben had absolutely no want to represent Australia.

I don't think it's fair to make the assumption he wouldn't want to play. He's walking into a 200 million dollar deal and I'm sure the 76ers and his agent don't want him getting injured. There is also the fact that some think he hasn't developed at all since his first season in the league. A lot of factors that are out of his hands and go way beyond just whether or not he wants to play.

But the situation is pretty shit for Boomers fans. I've gone from ultra excited to go to those Melbourne games to feeling like whatever happens there is going to be essentially meaningless. The World Cup takes on a bit of a different tinge for me. Yeah, we actually should have a better team than we did in Rio, but we are suspect at the guard spot. Ben Simmons was going to be the X Factor that plugged a lot of holes for us. Now, we look 'good' but do have some glaring weaknesses in our personnel.

With things apparently going well with Broekhoff, his wife, and the newborn, there could be a chance that he decides to make himself available if the Boomers should make the call, and I expect they will make contact. I think you could possibly slot him into the "maybe" pile over Deng Adel or one of the guards. But at the moment I'm going to have to roll with:

Dellavedova/Sobey
Mills/????
Ingles/Adel/Creek
Bolden/Motum
Baynes/Bogut

Landale would be in the mix, but it's hard to cut Adel at this point given the types of skills we lack.

Lots of Australian's go over to the US to help their development. He considers himself Australian and when he can, he'll play for us.

All this 'only cares for himself, sees himself as American' stuff is nonsense.

Bogut had legitimate reasons for not playing for the Boomers for a long period too, but he's played through injury to represent Australia as well. It's not because they don't care.

He already has played for the Boomers but I don't think he will ever play for us again though.

Some players just don't care to play for their countries either at all or all that strongly. He's 'half American' anyway and basically grew up in the US he's been there for years and maybe doesn't even see himself as an Aussie anymore. I don't really think of him as one of us and have never counted on him to really be a part of the Boomers program.

Whilst he has a legitimate excuse this year there will likely be some other excuse next year too we've seen all that before with guys like Bogut & Longley who each went 7-8 year stretches without playing for the Boomers.

Dellavedova PG/SG
Mills SG/PG
Ingles SF/SG
Motum PF/C
Baynes C

Mccaron SG/PG
Sobey SG/PG
Creek SF
Bolden PF/C
Bogut C


2 of
Goulding SG
Adel SF
Landale C/PF

I doubt Simmons will ever play for the Boomers.

Delly
Mills
Bogut
Baynes
Ingles

Sobey
Goulding
Landale
Bolden
Creek

Adel
Motum

Would you blame him in a contract year or negotiating max deal? I wouldnt. Too risky at a world cup. But i cant help but wonder if an agent or team influence here also.
IMO world cup just dont have appeal as say an Olympics or NBA Finals.

lol 'money before country'. What a stupid knock. I'm disappointed too but you're talking about 200m, he'll still play in the Olympics next year, and he can work on becoming a better player. Give him a break.

My squad would be essentially the same -

Dellevadova / Sobey
Mills / Adel / Goulding
Ingles / Creek
Bolden / Motum
Bogut / Baynes / Landale

Wouldn't classify Sobey as a PG per se but with Mills playing off the ball you can run those 2 together offensively, with Mills defending the 1, Sobey the 2.

I think Landale makes sense for the final spot, Adel and Sobey are positionally versatile, there's no other pressing needs, but Landale provides a more mobile, more stretchy option at the 5 as opposed to the 2 bulkier options in Bogey/Baynes.