Although it’s been almost 4 months since the conclusion of the Paris Olympics, the buzz about Jayson Tatum and Steve Kerr’s messed-up dynamic is yet to die down. Many sided with JT, some sided with Kerr, but with the right opportunity provided, expect the debate to go on for longer. In fact, that’s exactly what Stephen A. Smith provided the Clippers HC Ty Lue, the right-hand man to Steve Kerr at the Olympics. SAS expertly put him in a predicament, asking his opinion on Kerr’s judgment and, on the other hand, his ‘cousin’ Tatum’s rough tour.

“No. You wasn’t wrong”, Lue responded when SAS inquired on The Stephen A. Smith Show if he was wrong to criticize Kerr. The First Take host has been a vocal critic of the Warriors HC for his team selection at the Paris event. Despite winning the gold, Tatum, an NBA champion, an All-Star, found limited minutes. “I mean, like you said, when have a player like Jason Tatum, the caliber player that he is, about 3-time All-NBA, a NBA champion. I think he’s been to a 2 NBA finals, I think, 5 Eastern Conference finals. And so when you have a caliber player like he is, it does seem tough.”

Reminding everyone of his relationship with JT, Lue further added, “He’s my he’s my little cousin. So I had to take him the news and help him deal with the situation.” But Tatum handled the situation perfectly according to Lue. “I do like the way, JT handled himself. I think he handled himself as a professional. I think he did all the right things.”

This feeling from Lue wasn’t a stray one. Jrue Holiday recently echoed those sentiments and praised his Cs teammate during his appearance on Podcast P With Paul George. But what does the future hold for Tatum in the Team USA jersey? Probably something better if cousin Lue follows his ambitions.

Ty Lue’s Team USA ambitions mean brighter future for Jayson Tatum

Jayson Tatum described his Olympics outing as a tough personal experience on the court. While he didn’t confirm anything, the 26-year-old kept his options open for a return in 2028. By then there will be a new head coach in charge and chances of Ty Lue answering the call aren’t particularly out of the window. While Erik Spoelstra could be the bookies’ favorite to land the job, Lue remains hopeful of his future with the national team.

“I thought about it a lot. And Spo is a hell of a coach, and that’s when another guy that I regard as one of the top coaches in the NBA. And just for me Steve Kerr, and Mark (Few) for you to be in the same room together. I mean for me, it was like being in heaven,” Lue told Stephen A. in the same show.

If Lue indeed gets the job over Spoelstra (somewhat unlikely), that could almost guarantee JT returning to Team USA duties. By 2028, not many would expect LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant to continue or play a prominent starting role. So running it back once again wouldn’t be too bad of an idea.