Slight concern for me is the lack of a legit 7 footer who can block shots. That's why I thought someone like Nevill or Ogilvy would at least get a look in.

Surprised about Ogilvy too

You would expect Delly, Exum, Baynes, Ingles, Bairstow, Newly and Andersen to be locks. So the other 5 spots would be a head to head battle.

3rd PG - Damian Martin Vs Adam Gibson. I would go Marto for the defence he brings and an improved shot last season.

Shooter - Chris Goulding Vs Ryan Broekhoff. I would like it if they took both of these guys but really paling the same role. I would say Goulding at this stage.

Big - Nate Jawai Vs Angus Brandt. Brandt was really a back up in the Sino series. I think Jawai has to go.

Stretch 4 - Brock Motum Vs Mark Worthington. I liked Motum in the Sino series and is a bigger body than worth.

Athletic Forward - Ben Simmons Vs Lucas Walker. Walker played well in the Sino series when Lemanis went full court press, but I think for the experience and upside I would take Simmons.

PG - Delly / Exum / Martin
SG - Newly / Goulding
SF - Ingles / Simmons
PF - Bairstow / Motum
C - Baynes / Andersen / Jawai

If they decide to look to the future I would go smaller and replace Andersen with Broekhoff, but I can't really see Brandt, Worthington or Walker making the team.

No Nevill?! Bad idea.

No ogilvy was a bad choice. He's the best rebounder and shot blocker besides bogut we had.

Delly/ exum(offence)/martin(defence)
Ingles/Goulding
Simmons/Newley
Bairstow/Anderson/motum
Baynes/jawai

Exum to play Sg also
Ingles to play Sf also
Simmons to play Pf also
Anderson to play C also

PG: Delly - Exum - Martin
SG: Goulding - Newley
SF: Ingles - Broeknoff
PF: Bairstow - Motum - Simmons
C: Baynes - Anderson

You guys should use your lack of size to your advantage and play small(ish). At international level Simmons should already have the body to play PF and will help stretch the floor. Even though Bairstow starts in my lineup at PF, I expect him to shift over to centre for most of the game (in my mind both Motum and Simmons are superior to Anderson). Jawai was dropped mainly due to that fact I envision this team to play an uptempo brand of basketball.

If you put Simmons at PF, you take half his skills away. He can shoot, he can get to the basket, has post moves and is also a good transitional player and defender. You cant see him banging bodies with love, griffin or faried. He would be better off facing durant/parsons/korver/derozan/george/harden/thompson
Even in rio he should remain a SF as we will most likely have Maker and bairstow at the PF spot.

Simmons over newley and ingles playing the sg spot ahead of goulding gives us better overall size and a better defensive team. (delly, ingles, simmons, bairstow, baynes.)

Delly easily the best PG we have. Exum shows heaps of pomise but still so young and his gas tank is a bit of a worry, overall a good secondary backup. martins a great guy to have to put pressure on the guards like curry and lillard, also brings alot of hustle. Delly starts at PG.

Goulding is primarily a 3 point and spot up shooter. Ingles beats him in every category bar maybe quickness and fg%. Ingles starts at SG.

Newley is primarily a get to the basket type of guy. Simmons is much more crafty, a better defender, passer and shooter, not to mention has better handles and gives us another rebounding and block shot option. Simmons starts at SF.

Bairstow and Anderson pretty interchangeable.
Both have a mid range game, Bairstow has the bigger body, anderson has the height. Motum is a good energy guy to bring off the bench when times are tough. Bairstow to start at PF.

Baynes and Jawai are both big bodies, baynes probably a better offensive option, jawai defense but baynes by far has the bigger gas tank, also better at running the floor. Anderson can be used as centre during games with country's who have small lineups. Baynes to start at C.

Maker will play in Rio. If he doesn't, Basketball Australia should just give up.

Really good team. Everyone who i wanted to be on the team is there. If Brandt, Walker or Worthington make the team i'll be very disappointed as they're not really good enough. I don't even really want Gibson or Martin on the team tbh though.

My Team -

Baynes/Jawai
Bairstow/Anderson
Ingles/Simmons
Goulding/Newley
Dellavadova/Exum

With Motum and Broekhoff getting the last two spots.

I should rephrase - Everyone except Maker.

Dont know why Goulding is being put in the starting SG position. You just have to watch the summer league to know he isnt capable of doing what he did in the nbl.

The guy is talented and he may have impressed during training. But, without standing out so far during the tournament and with good minutes, itll be tough to gain a roster spot. I think his name has only been mentioned 5-6 times during the commentary over the 3 games so far which is a bad sign. It hasnt helped that mekel has held on to the ball alot.

goulding vs new york
M:32.12 FGM-A: 2-8 +/-:-19 RB-0 AST-0 STL-0 TO-2 PF-4 PTS-6
goulding vs minnesota
M:15.37 FGM-A: 2-3 +/-:+15 RB-2 AST-1 STL-0 TO-2 PF-2 PTS-6
goulding vs toronto
M:22.53 FGM-A: 3-5 +/-:+17 RB-2 AST-1 STL-2 TO-3 PF-1 PTS-9

I think Goulding been exposed a bit in summer league due to the strength an quickness of the guys he up against - same will happen at world champs level
Broekhoff is bigger and stronger and a similar 3 point ability - so he gets my nod

Goulding should get another chance next year - prob needs to play a season in Europe somewhere that's a step up from nbl

"While I love Benny's ability, I’d have to see him in camp against seasoned men as this isn’t US High School or College level and we all know how physical, smart & grinding the EURO teams are. He’d have to have improved his 3 to make it in my team now. Don’t see even a token HS or college player in the USA squad. Schencher didn’t make it when he did well in the Boomer camps after his solid NCAA campaign. "

Simmons is 6'10 and 230 pounds. He's put on quite a bit of muscle recently. He'll handle himself fine. I'd be more worried about the European players going up against him haha. In terms of pure skill, he's the best forward we have. He just hasn't had enough experience. This is a perfect scenario for him. We have no chance at medaling now so it's a good chance to give the young ones some experience..

"Same goes for Maker, certainly skilled but let’s see how he develops physically before pinning early hopes on him. Keep in mind he’s playing against kids & is probably 19 or older?? How many Sudanese bodies do you see in the NBA? Will he eventually put some NBA muscle on that frame? My guess is, when they are all 'men’, he won’t have as solid a build as D or Benny - No doubt he’s very skilled & they’ll never be as tall!"

Maker could be used as a stretch 4. He's painfully thin but that length and mobility is just too good to pass over.

"He'll handle himself fine. I'd be more worried about the European players going up against him haha."

Stop it.

"Stop it"

I'm just saying with his current physique he won't get physically bullied by the European players.

"I maybe the only person in Australia who thinks this but I reckon Simmons deserves big minutes for the boomers and wouldn't be surprised if he had a break out tournament. Also I hope Big Nate isn't too out of shape. When he was playing for cairns years ago he was awesome and world class."

His skill set for his size is amazing. I said it before but in terms of pure talent he's the best forward we have. I wouldn't mind him getting decent minutes. I'm guessing the Delly/Goulding nut huggers who think that Simmons and Exum shouldn't even be on the team and want the squad to be full of NBL players might though.

Sure it's ONLY SBL, but this from a couple of weeks ago...

Kalamunda enjoyed their second win of the weekend in a 118-103 home win over Cockburn on the back of Luke Nevill's mammoth night out. The former NBL big man netted 48 points on 18-of-26 shooting, including 5-of-7 from deep, to go with 22 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks in arguably the best performance of the season league-wide.

I agree, simmons should start at SF. I also think his more solid than exum.

His good enough to play against lebron...

http://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/p/50947668/Ben-Simmons-vs-Lebron.aspx

PG. Delly, Exum, Martin
SG. Newley, Goulding
SF. Ingles, Simmons
PF. Anderson, Bairstow, Motum
C.Baynes, Jawai

Olympics full strength

PG. Exum, Delly, Martin
SG. Mills, Goulding
SF. Ingles, Simmons, Broekhoff
PF. Bairstow, Motum
C. Bogut, Baynes

The starting lineup should be based on the team were going to play.

Slovenia (medium-large size squad)- someone has to stop dragic, who should guard him? a good job for martin?
(Delly, Martin, Ingles, Anderson, Baynes)

Korea (small-medium size squad)- anyone is good choice really.
(Exum, Goulding, Newley, Bairstow, Baynes)

Lithuania (large size sqaud)- A big bodied team required.
(Delly, Ingles, Simmons, Bairstow, Jawai.)

Mexico (medium size sqaud)- quick transition to exploit there poor defense.
(Exum, Goulding, Newley, Simmons, Baynes)

Angola (medium size squad)- a team that requires great ball movement.
(Delly, Ingles, Simmons, Motum, Anderson.)

Greenwood, I dont think will make it to rio because you will have exum and delly as the primary 2 point guards. Mills will be pulled from the SG spot to be the number 3 PG if required which opens up another place on the roster for other positions.

"someone has to stop dragic, who should guard him?"

delly & exum will guard Dragic (as he is too tall and skilled for martin, plus I don't think martin will make the team)

"someone has to stop dragic, who should guard him?"

delly & exum will guard Dragic (as he is too tall and skilled for martin, plus I don't think martin will make the team)

Martin is a much better defender than Exum.

Dragic (Phx) isn't playing. I believe he may have a brother.

I really hope that Basketball Australia utilise all the talent we have coming through in future years. I mean we could potentially have lineups of

C - Bogut/Baynes/Jawai/Humphries
PF - Maker/Bairstow/Motum
Sf - Simmons/Bolden/Ingles
SG - Mills/Adel/Goulding
PG - Exum/Dellavadova

And not to mention guys like McVeigh, Mathiang etc.

If a team like this doesn't win at least bronze, we never will.

I really hope that all of these players are included in future teams. I really don't want players playing for the Boomers that shouldn't be. The time of giving NBL scrubs a go is coming to an end.

After the Olympics? ( currently 25 and under )

PG - exum / dellavedova
SG - mills / adel / mcveigh
SF - simmons / bolden
PF - t.maker / Bairstow / m.maker
C - humphries / mathiang

Other possibles:
Greenwood, drmic, broekhoff , motum and maybe a few kids coming up the ranks.

"After the Olympics? ( currently 25 and under )

PG - exum / dellavedova
SG - mills / adel / mcveigh
SF - simmons / bolden
PF - t.maker / Bairstow / m.maker
C - humphries / mathiang

Other possibles:
Greenwood, drmic, broekhoff , motum and maybe a few kids coming up the ranks."

I agree with this. This should be our future team. Hopefully the powers that be also see it that way aswell. This would be the most athletic and skilled team we've ever had. And possibly the first with all NBA players (not too sure about McVeigh though).

The more i think about it, the more i'm content with this team, even with out Mills and Bogut. Despite missing out on our two most important players, this team still has a lot of talent. If we can maintain good chemistry and play efficiently we should do pretty well.

C - Maker/Baynes/Humphries
PF - Bairstow/Motum
Sf - Simmons/Bolden
SG - Mills/Goulding
PG - Exum/Dellavadova

Welcome to the future!

I think you should throw Maker the 12th jersey. That will lock him in to play for the boomers in the future/his prime, and realistically what are you losing? How much impact does the 12th player REALLY have on a world championship? Would have liked to see that

I wonder if Goulding will be available now who after his performance today for Dallas will almost certainly get a training camp invite.

You realise Mexico won the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, beating Argentina and Puerto Rico on the way? They would hammer that lineup you posted.

I'm a little surprised Markovic isn't in the extended squad. With Dellavedova, Exum and Goulding the guards, we need another good ball-handler in the squad, as both Exum and Goulding don't have the tightest of handles.

With Mills out, you'd have to assume Gibson or Martin will come in, but Markovic compares pretty favourably I think.

A quick comparison of each players' stats this past NBL season:

PPG FG% 3P% AST TO
Gibson 12.2 47.8 38.3 4.8 1.8
Martin 7.6 44.4 42.1 4.1 1.3
Markovic 13.4 45.2 40.9 4.6 2.1

I understand stats don't tell the whole story, especially with Martin. But Markovic is reliable from the perimeter, a good decision maker, and whilst he lacks the defensive intensity of Martin, he has a lot of international experience.

The concern for the team after losing Mills is what happens in situations where the offensive sets don't work and the offense stagnates.

These stats I got from http://crunchtimeshots.com/2014/06/11/3p-shooting-percentages-with-and-without-a-dribble/ on 3P% off the dribble (pick and roll plays, isolation plays etc.) versus without a dribble (catch and shoot) were interesting:

3P%: Off dribble No dribble
Gibson 18.8% 42.5%
Markovic 33.9% 45.6%

Obviously there's too small a sample size of Martin shooting off the dribble to rate a mention, which isn't a surprise as it isn't really in his skill-set.

Anyone else surprised Markovic was left out given the circumstances (no Mills)? (Unless of course he retired from international basketball without me knowing)?

"I think that was about playing in the U19 WCs next year wasn't it?"

Yeah, he wants Maker to play in some junior tournaments. Maker wanted to play in the under 17's for Australia but the preparation had already begun for the tournament and he didn't want to come into the team half way through.

They'll put him in the under 19's before putting him in the men's team. Simmons and Exum have already played in the junior teams and the men's team so they're accustomed to it all but Maker wouldn't be so they're easing him into it. I wouldn't fret about him not being in the Men's team for this WC.

"You realise Mexico won the 2013 FIBA Americas Championship, beating Argentina and Puerto Rico on the way? They would hammer that lineup you posted."

I highly doubt they'd 'hammer' that lineup.

People who are including Exum, Maker and Simmons in the team are crazy. I mean, obviously we need guys who average five points a game in the NBL.

I really hope Motum makes the team. He's been quite impressive during the Summer League. In fact i doubt that he doesn't get a contract.

Also our under 19 team could potentially have

C - Humphries/Matur Maker
Pf - Thon Maker
Sf - Ben Simmons/Jack McVeigh
Sg - Deng Adel
not too sure on the point guard.