Team USA head coach Steve Kerr has the easiest and hardest job in the world at the same time.
On one hand, the United States has a deeper roster than any other country, with 12 stars who are among the best basketball players on the planet. On the other hand, Kerr is responsible for managing the starting lineups and rotations with a roster of 12 of the best basketball players on the planet.
Only five players can start and, with quick 10-minute quarters, it is almost impossible for all team members to play. NBA center and MVP Joel Embiidfour-time All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum and two-time All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton, who received “DNPs – coach’s decisions” just two games into the Olympics.
DeCourcy: 3 takeaways from US victory over South Sudan
Kerr continues to tinker with Team USA’s starting lineups and rotations, and no matter what decision she makes, it seems like it’s being viewed as the wrong one despite having a perfect 7-0 overall record and a 2-0 record at the Olympics.
Is it time for Kerr to decide on a starting lineup and rotation? The Jugo Mobile takes a closer look at the matter below.
Why coach Steve Kerr keeps changing USA Basketball’s starting lineups
Kerr has used four different starting lineups in seven games and has already announced who will return to the starting five most used by the U.S. team. — Stephen Curry, Devin Booker, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James and Joel Embiid — in their upcoming game against Puerto Rico.
| Team USA starting lineups | Number of games used |
| Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Devin Booker and Jrue Holiday | 4 |
| Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Edwards | 1 |
| Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum and Jrue Holiday | 1 |
| Stephen Curry, LeBron James, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum and Anthony Davis | 1 |
The only constants have been Curry and James, while Booker and Holiday have started five of the seven games.
Embiid started Team USA’s first six games before being replaced in the starting lineup against South Sudan and not playing at all. Tatum, coming off an injury-related loss, returned to the starting lineup for a third time on Wednesday.
When Tatum sat out the game in the U.S. win over Serbia, Kerr said he “used the combinations that made sense” and said the decision was unique to that matchup.
When Embiid didn’t touch the court in the U.S. win over South Sudan, Kerr once again said it was a situation because South Sudan is “the fastest team in the tournament.”
“They’re professionals and they’re committed to each other,” Kerr told reporters when asked about certain stars not playing. According to Ben Golliver of the Washington Post“… I don’t read social media. I hope our guys don’t pay too much attention to that. That’s a regular season thing, where soap opera can drive ratings. Here, it’s just about winning damn gold.”
Team USA is undefeated, so it’s hard to criticize Kerr’s rotation carousel too much, but at what point does having players constantly in and out of the lineup affect on-court chemistry?
The U.S.’s second offensive unit of Davis and Bam Adebayo has been an unstoppable force on both ends of the floor. Even if each of those players has outperformed Embiid and deserves to be a starter, there was little point in breaking up that tandem that has achieved so much success.
That said, the U.S. reserve team outscored South Sudan by 66-14 despite starting Davis and Tatum. This shows that, so far, no matter who starts and who comes off the bench, the talent on this team is too preponderant to alter the outcome.
There’s also the question of whether and when Durant will return to the starting lineup. USA Basketball’s all-time leading scorer already looks pretty comfortable on the court after two Olympic Games, having missed all five exhibition games with a calf injury.
Will Kerr need to alter the starting five? again To accommodate the team’s most decorated player?
Bigger matches against tougher teams are coming up. Team USA’s group was the weakest of the three and will soon face the best teams in the Olympics in a three-match series to win gold.
Maybe Kerr is simply using the group stage to find the right combinations and hone his game when the knockout rounds begin, but it’s also possible that this summer’s U.S. men’s national team is too good for that to matter.
