Kevin Durant’s Olympic Status Uncertain: Derrick White Joins Team USA in Abu Dhabi

As the Paris Olympics near, Team USA continues the preparation process in Abu Dhabi following an 86-72 victory over Canada at the USA Basketball Showcase in T-Mobile Arena.

Despite Canada’s 11-1 advantage at the beginning of the game, the USA strongly rallied back, highlighted by a 14-2 run in the second quarter, which solidified the lead for the remainder of the game. Anthony Edwards led with 13 points, while other double-figure scoring performances included Stephen Curry scoring 12, Jrue Holiday adding 11, and Anthony Davis with 10. Kevin Durant did not play due to injury.

“This is always a fun format when you get this collection of guys together,” Curry said. “And it’s a test, and it’s a challenge to try to figure out the chemistry, the flow, and the rhythm, especially on offense.” 

The USA’s sentiment of departing the victory over Canada was satisfaction with an initial showing, but there is significant room for improvement by tightening up offensive shortcomings like rust. The team’s head coach, Steve Kerr, was encouraged by the group’s defensive intensity.

“Good first game for us, really just getting started after four days of practice,” USA head coach Steve Kerr said. “You could see the rust from the offensive end, a lot of turnovers in that first half, especially, but I love the defensive intensity and the work on the glass. So it was a good first effort.”

Due to injuries, the USA must examine the roster before taking on Australia and Serbia in Abu Dhabi on July 15 and 17.

Derrick White replaces Kawhi Leonard after knee concerns

The original 12-man roster featured Kawhi Leonard, one of the world’s elite two-way wings, as an integral element. After USA Basketball and the LA Clippers determined that Leonard should not play, he was removed from the roster before the team played the first installment of the USA Basketball Showcase. White has since joined the team in the United Arab Emirates.

“Kawhi has been ramping up for the Olympics over the past several weeks and had a few strong practices in Las Vegas,” USA Basketball said in a statement. “He felt ready to compete. However, he respects that USA Basketball and the Clippers determined it’s in his best interest to spend the remainder of the summer preparing for the upcoming [NBA] season rather than participating in the Olympic Games in Paris.”

Leonard did not sound prepared to be pulled out of the competition based on his comment the day before the decision was announced. “I’m ready to go,” he said then. “I’m playing now, so I’m happy.”

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported a month earlier that if Leonard could not play, Derrick White was a “strong candidate” for Team USA to consider.

“I kind of figured it out when everybody else figured out when [Adrian Wojnarowski] tweeted it, and then me and my agent were talking about it a little bit through the summer,” White recounted. “But I had assumed that Kawhi was going to continue. But then, when I saw all that happened ,and I got the call, I was ready to go.”

White played at the World Cup in 2019, but the group was underachieving then. He feels he’s improved in his career, which he has, emerging as a vital element of the Boston Celtics’ successful NBA Finals run. “It was crazy going from the Select Team to the World Cup team, and I just think now I’ve just continued to get better and better, and I feel much more comfortable,” White said. “I feel [now] like I did back then, and I’m just excited to be here.”

Considering the latest developments, White may not be the only replacement the USA must consider making ahead of the Olympics.

Will Kevin Durant be ready to play in Paris?

Kawhi Leonard’s injury status is not the only high-profile instance Team USA faces as Kevin Durant deals with a calf strain. He’s unlikely to play against Australia on Monday. Still, the team is not yet ready to contextualize the timeline for his potential return as threatening his status for the Olympics.

“I know there’s still a couple of weeks before we have to make a decision roster-wise,” Kerr said. “So we’re just taking it day by day.”

It’s too early for the USA to focus much on alternative options if Durant cannot play, considering he has time to recover and return to the competition. “It’s not something we’ve even discussed at this point,” Kerr reaffirmed. “Because we feel good that he’s going to be OK. It’s just day to day.“

The remaining players from the 41-player pool that the USA initially released before trimming the roster to 12 months ago include plenty of names to consider if Durant cannot play.

If the goal is to add a wing into the mix, some names could include Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, Paul George, Brandon Ingram, Aaron Gordon, Mikal Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr., Josh Hart, Scottie Barnes, Paolo Banchero, Cam Johnson, or Alex Caruso. Which option would be the fairest choice?

Is Jaylen Brown USA’s best Kevin Durant replacement option?

Team USA’s desire for a specific player style strongly influences the choice. The clear answer would be to pick Jaylen Brown if his recent social media activity has not toxified his candidacy too much. From a basketball standpoint, adding a tenacious on-ball defender who gets to the rim with physicality and three-level scoring ability makes a lot of sense.

Paul George could be intriguing outside of Brown if scoring and shooting ability were the focus. He’s already solidified a contract with the Philadelphia 76ers for the upcoming season and could use the opportunity to gain reps with Joel Embiid.

Paolo Banchero committed to the USA last year by participating in the World Cup and playing an important role instead of playing for Italy. He would bring size at 6-foot-10 on the wing, but he did take the fewest three-point attempts per game (0.9) of any player on the USA’s roster at the World Cup outside of Walker Kessler, a traditional center. With so much talent, having higher-volume shooters to space out seems critical.

Brandon Ingram has remained in trade rumors without a long-term contract, potentially complicating his position as a candidate. However, he largely struggled with the USA at the World Cup on a less stacked, ball-dominant roster as it is. Butler is another established star-wing player who could step into the mix, but he also has to resolve what could be his final massive NBA long-term contract.

Any option like Aaron Gordon, Jaren Jackson Jr., Josh Hart, or Alex Caruso stands out if preferred to pivot and value a utility player with defensive versatility. For now, the goal is for Kevin Durant to recover from injury.

What to watch when Team USA faces Australia

Given the matchup is still just a friendly game, there isn’t an extensive list of things to watch for Team USA in the matchup. The continued testing of different lineup combinations is something to monitor. Some believe Anthony Edwards and Jayson Tatum could start against Australia.

Australia lacks size in the middle, making it essential for the USA to exploit that to its advantage. A big rotation of Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Bam Adebayo should impose its will often throughout a game that features an opponent deploying undersized options.

The integration of Derrick White is another development to watch. He doesn’t need any plays called for him to make a strong impact on the game, but how he fits next to dynamic talents remains a potential outcome to watch, considering he’s coming off a recent run to the Finals.