Team USA men's basketball coach Steve Kerr promised he'd tinker with lineups during the exhibition games ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics, and he has delivered on that promise. Kerr is making yet another change to the lineup for Wednesday's game against Nikola Jokic and Serbia in Abu Dhabi, but it doesn't involve Joel Embiid like many have been asking for.
Instead, Anthony Edwards is moving back to the bench in favor of Jrue Holiday, who started in Team USA's first exhibition win over Canada. That first game featured a starting lineup of Holiday, Embiid, LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Devin Booker. In a surprisingly tight win over Australia, Kerr went with Edwards, Embiid, LeBron, Curry and Jayson Tatum. Now in this Serbia matchup, it's Holiday, Embiid, LeBron, Curry and Tatum.
Edwards has played well both off the bench and in the starting lineup for Team USA, but Kerr clearly wants to see him again operate as a leader of the second unit. Holiday brings a more veteran presence to the starters, and he delivered a standout performance as a starter against Canada with 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
Should Team USA bench Joel Embiid for Anthony Davis?
It's not all that surprising that Steve Kerr kept Joel Embiid in Team USA's starting lineup against Serbia, given the Nikola Jokic factor. But should Embiid be the full-time starter when the Olympics roll around?
Debate has raged on throughout this exhibition slate as Embiid has struggled at times. While Embiid is a dominant NBA player and the second-best center in the league behind Jokic, the FIBA game is totally different and doesn't cater to the Philadelphia 76ers star's strengths. Davis' versatility arguably makes him a better fit for Team USA's starting lineup, while Embiid can sometimes bog things down with his play style.
Embiid played just 12 minutes in Team USA's win over Canada, registering five points, six rebounds, two assists and zero blocks or steals before fouling out. Davis, meanwhile, thrived off the bench, going for 10 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, four blocks and two steals in 19 minutes. While Embiid was better vs. Australia with 14 points, five rebounds, an assist and two steals, Davis stood out again with 17 points, 14 boards, an assist, two blocks and a steal.
It's worth noting that this is Embiid's debut with Team USA, and it could take him a bit of time to get used to playing on this kind of star-studded roster. But given Davis' effectiveness so far, Kerr has to think about making a change at some point, especially if Embiid doesn't pick up his performance.
Kerr was asked about the possibility of benching Embiid after the Australia win and admitted things are a “work in progress” and that it often takes big men a bit more time to find a “rhythm and flow.” Stephen Curry also acknowledged the growing pains working Embiid into the flow of the offense.
The Team USA coach will continue to experiment with lineups, but as for now, it's still Embiid as a starter.
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