Nembhard on Preliminary Canada Basketball Roster

[Spike#1]

Canada Basketball releases updated training camp roster with several omissions.

Nembhard on Preliminary Canada Basketball Roster.

Olynyk not on the team.

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/canada-...170146634.html

[zagdontzig]

One could build a non-playoff contending NBA starting five from that roster. I guess Pangos isn't interested in these things anymore?

[OZZY]

One could build a non-playoff contending NBA starting five from that roster. I guess Pangos isn't interested in these things anymore?

I think that Kevin had to make a call early on as (at the time of making the decision to be in) he did not have a team for next year. He is now signed with CSKA and has an out clause if he picks up an NBA gig.

One could build a playoff contending team with the Canadians who couldn't make it due to injury / Free agent status.

SGA
Jamaal Murray
Dillon Brooks
Chris Boucher
Kelly Olynyk

Brandon Clarke
Khem Birch
Kevin Pangos

[Mojo13]

I think that Kevin had to make a call early on as (at the time of making the decision to be in) he did not have a team for next year. He is now signed with CSKA and has an out clause if he picks up an NBA gig.

One could build a playoff contending team with the Canadians who couldn't make it due to injury / Free agent status.

SGA
Jamaal Murray
Dillon Brooks
Chris Boucher
Kelly Olynyk

Brandon Clarke
Khem Birch
Kevin Pangos

Yeah...what could have been. Even just having Olynyk would be amazing for this team. I still think he is a top 3 or 4 FIBA player for Canada with his unique skillset. But I understand him not playing as a FA - especially after he was injured in the 2019 camp.

Nembhard has a legit shot making this team as a 11th/12th man. I'd still go with Trae Bell Haynes over him, but Nurse really seems to like Nembhard. He was raving about his ability to run the PnR in camp, but said his lack of experience is a concern. I think he at least makes it as an alternate and travels with the team to Victoria.


I'm expecting a final 12 something like this:

Guards: Joseph/NAW/Trae Bell Haynes/ Mulder (Nembhard)

Wings: Barrett, Wiggins, Dort, Ejim (Doornekamp)

Bigs: Lyles, Powell, Nicholson, Bennett (Klassen)



The big GU mystery to me is Brandon Clarke - not a bloody peep from him or the media about his absence after accepting an invite to camp. He could have had an important role with all the bigs that no-showed. Dillon Brooks bailed too, so I suspect the Grizzlies put a hard press on both of them to not play.

Still this looks on paper like the best team Canada has ever floor and it has a good shot of winning. The Greek team is a mess of injuries but this is the best Turkish team in over a decade, so they will be fierce.


Pangos said no from the get go as he was a FA chasing a big contract (who also got hurt last time). He signed with CSKA and got his coveted NBA out clause through Sept 15th as he tried to land an NBA contract. CSKA deal is supposedly 4M euros net (after tax) across two years - so NBA equivalent (pre tax USD) to about $8M across two years. And CSKA is arguably the best club in the world outside the NBA.

[TexasZagFan]

The big GU mystery to me is Brandon Clarke -

Agreed...Brandon fell out of the playoff rotation, don't know if it was due to injury or the emergence of Dillon Brooks.

[Mojo13]

Agreed...Brandon fell out of the playoff rotation, don't know if it was due to injury or the emergence of Dillon Brooks.

It wasnt Brooks. He was already there and getting heavy minutes when Clarke had a bigger role.

It was a combination of things for Clarke this season. Clarke really messed up his shot in the offseason and really regressed with his shooting. I don't what they were trying to do with it, but someone tried to tweak it an made it way worse. He lost some of his role with JJJ back - who was hurt most of Clarke's rookie season. Xavier Tillman chewed up some of his minutes too. And there were rumors of a lingering quad injury as well which may have pushed him into DNP land at the end of the season.

[Mojo13]

It wasnt Brooks. He was already there and getting heavy minutes when Clarke had a bigger role.

It was a combination of things for Clarke this season. Clarke really messed up his shot in the offseason and really regressed with his shooting. I don't what they were trying to do with it, but someone tried to tweak it an made it way worse. He lost some of his role with JJJ back - who was hurt most of Clarke's rookie season. Xavier Tillman chewed up some of his minutes too. And there were rumors of a lingering quad injury as well which may have pushed him into DNP land at the end of the season.

Nembhard didn’t make the final 12. But at least he tried.


No Zags this summer for Canada. Clarke and Olynyk bailed after committing to the team. Pangos and Wiltjer refused invites. I’m quite disappointed in the Canadian Zags at the moment.

[jazzdelmar]

Nembhard didn’t make the final 12. But at least he tried.


No Zags this summer for Canada. Clarke and Olynyk bailed after committing to the team. Pangos and Wiltjer refused invites. I’m quite disappointed in the Canadian Zags at the moment.

Clarke has bigger fish to fry -- his dreadful shot -- but KO had arguably his best NBA year and would have been a focus of the team. Not sure KP or KW would have made it anyway.

[ZagNut08]

KO likely and wisely not wanting to risk injury with FA around the corner.

[ET2021]

I thought Nembhard would have gotten a spot on the team but I guess the competition isn't bad either.

[Mojo13]

Clarke has bigger fish to fry -- his dreadful shot -- but KO had arguably his best NBA year and would have been a focus of the team. Not sure KP or KW would have made it anyway.

Pangos easily makes this team and plays big minutes. He is one of the best PGs in the world outside the NBA right now. And the FIBA game is very different - his experience ups his value immensely.

Wiltjer is more of a toss up, but he has been very good for Canada in the past.

I understand Olynyks absence as a FA but with his initial commitment he really got my hopes up.

[OZZY]

Canada's game against Greece was interesting to say the least.

Having no warm up games it was understandable that they took a 1/2 to start clicking.

Small ball with either Powell or Lyles playing the post (the Greek bigs did have some easy baskets).

Not suprising that wings Barrett and Wiggins keyed the second half push for a 97-91 victory.

Can only see the team getting better and better with more playing time...