Tag Archives: DeAndre Jordan

Anthony Named to USA Basketball’s Team for 2016 Olympic Games

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It’s official… Carmelo Anthony is headed to his fourth Olympics.

USA Basketball‘s 12-man roster has been announced for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, with the 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican basketball star making the grade.

Carmelo Anthony

While a few of the game’s best won’t be in action this summer, plenty of superstar talent will make the trip in head coach Mike Krzyzewski‘s push for a third and final Olympic gold medal.

The New York Knicks star is the only Latino player named to the team.

Here’s a look at the players who will be donning the red, white and blue.

Carmelo Anthony
Team: New York Knicks
Position: Forward
Age: 32
Olympics appearance: 4th
Team USA experience: Olympics (2012-Gold, 2008-Gold, 2004-Bronze); FIBA World Championship (2006-Bronze), FIBA Americas (2007-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014.

Kevin Durant
Team: Oklahoma City Thunder
Position: Forward
Age: 27
Olympics appearance: 2nd
Team USA experience: Olympics (2012-Gold), FIBA World Championship (2010-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014.

Paul George
Team: Indiana Pacers
Position: Forward
Age: 26
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014 (injured leg during scrimmage ahead of 2014 FIBA World Cup)

Draymond Green
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: Forward
Age: 26
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: Named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball National Team on Aug. 6, 2015.

Klay Thompson
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: Guard
Age: 26
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: FIBA World Cup (2014-Gold); FIBA U19 World Championship (2009-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014.

Kyrie Irving
Team: Cleveland Cavaliers
Position: Guard
Age: 24
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: FIBA World Cup (2014-Gold); FIBA Americas U18 Championship (2010-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014.

Jimmy Butler
Team: Chicago Bulls
Position: Guard
Age: 26
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: Named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball National Team on Aug. 6, 2015.

DeMarcus Cousins
Team: Sacramento Kings
Position: Center
Age: 25
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: FIBA World Cup (2014-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on Jan. 23, 2014.

DeAndre Jordan
Team: Los Angeles Clippers
Position: Center
Age: 27
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: FIBA U19 World Championship (2007-Silver); Named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball National Team on Aug. 6, 2015.

Kyle Lowry
Team: Toronto Raptors
Position: Guard
Age: 30
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: None

DeMar DeRozan
Team: Toronto Raptors
Position: Guard
Age: 26
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: FIBA World Cup (2014-Gold); Named a member of the 2014-16 USA Men’s National Team on July 14, 2014.

Harrison Barnes
Team: Golden State Warriors
Position: Forward
Age: 24
Olympics appearance: 1st
Team USA experience: Named to the 2015-16 USA Basketball National Team on Aug. 6, 2015.

Anthony Committed to Representing the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Games

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Carmelo Anthony is ready to play (Olympic) ball…

The United States men’s Olympic basketball team is taking shape, with the 32-year-old half-Puerto Rican basketball star among the players committed to representing the U.S. at the 2016 Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Carmelo Anthony

Anthony has been a member of the United States Olympic men’s national team three times, winning a bronze medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics and gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. In 2012, Anthony set the USA men’s Olympic team record for most points in a single game when he scored 37 points against Nigeria.

In addition to Anthony, DeAndre Jordan, Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson and Toronto Raptors teammates Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan have committed to representing the U.S.

Meanwhile, LeBron James confirmed Thursday that he won’t be a part of it.

Anthony has a chance to become the first men’s basketball player to win three Olympic gold medals.

USA Basketball will officially announce its 12-man roster for Rio next week.

Anthony said last month that he was unsure whether he’d play, in part because of concerns over the Zika virus, a mosquito-borne illness affecting Brazil. Other Olympics athletes have expressed concern over the virus.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski and his staff will hold a four-day training camp in Las Vegas from July 18 to July 21, and then the team will play five exhibition games, starting July 22 against Argentina and ending August 1 against Nigeria.

The Olympic basketball tournament will take place Aug. 6-21 in Rio de Janeiro.

Barea Agrees to Four-Year, $16 Million Deal with the Dallas Mavericks

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J.J. Barea has landed a Maverick deal… 

The 31-year-old Puerto Rican professional basketball player has signed a four-year, $16 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

J.J. Barea

Barea had originally agreed to sign a two-year, $5.7 million deal, which would have given him Dallas’ cap-room exception, but both sides negotiated a new deal after center DeAndre Jordan backed out of his commitment to sign a max contract with the Mavs.

“They knew I wanted to be there for a long time,” Barea told ESPN.com. “They wanted me there for a long time, so we made it happen.”

Barea, who has averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 assists during his nine-year career,

Was a key contributor to the Mavericks’ 2010-11 championship team. He returned to Dallas in the fall after being bought out from the Minnesota Timberwolves for the final season of his four-year, $18 million deal.

He spent the first five seasons of his career with the Mavs after breaking into the league as an undrafted free agent, was an effective fourth guard in his second Dallas stint. He averaged 7.5 points and 3.4 assists in 17.7 minutes per game last season. His assist-turnover ratio (3.78-1) ranked behind only the Los Angeles Clippers‘ Chris Paul and the Denver Nuggets‘ Ty Lawson among league leaders.

Lopez ThisClose to Signing with the New York Knicks

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Robin Lopez is in a New York state of mind…

The 27-year-old half-Cuban American professional basketball player, a free-agent center, will sign with the New York Knicks as long as DeAndre Jordan, as expected, chooses the Los Angeles Clippers or Dallas Mavericks and not the Knicks, according to ESPN sources.

Robin Lopez

Lopez has picked the Knicks over the Los Angeles Lakers in a deal reportedly valued at $12 million a year.

If he ends up in New York, he’ll be the second free agent picked up by Phil Jackson and the Knicks in the 2015 offseason. Earlier Thursday, New York agreed to a two-year, $16 million contract with Arron Afflalo.

Lopez is known as a strong defender and rebounder, two areas in which the 17-win Knicks struggled last season. The 7-foot center averaged 8.7 rebounds per 36 minutes last season, including 4.2 on the offensive end.

New York now awaits Jordan’s decision with the insurance of a Lopez agreement in hand. The terms of Lopez’s agreement are not yet known.

Lopez played the past two seasons with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was selected 15th overall by the Phoenix Suns in 2008, playing his first four seasons there. The New Orleans Pelicans acquired him via sign-and-trade in 2012, with Lopez starting all 82 games that season. The Blazers acquired him in a three-team trade before the 2013-14 season.

He recorded 29 double-doubles and set a franchise record for offensive rebounds in his first season with the Blazers. He missed 23 games last season due to a broken hand suffered in December but still averaged 9.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game, anchoring Portland’s interior defense.

A seven-year veteran, Lopez holds career averages of 8.2 points and 5.0 rebounds in 465 games.