Charles Barkley advises Steve Kerr to revisit 1992 Dream Team rotation policy amid NBA Champion decision
Team USA started its Olympics campaign with a convincing win over Serbia but there have been concerns about Steve Kerr's management style and rotation policy. The decision to sit NBA Champion and All-Star Jayson Tatum for the entire game definitely raised some eyebrows. Basketball analyst and former NBA star Charles Barkley believes he may have the perfect solution for Kerr.
Barkley has plenty of experience playing at the international level. The Alabama native represented the United States with the "Dream Team" in Barcelona and then again at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.
Over an illustrious 17-year career, Barkley worked under many of the game's elite coaches. He believes that Steve Kerr should revisit Chuck Daly's rotation policy with the 1992 USA team as a blueprint for the current team. Barkley said the following on SiriusXM NBA Radio:
"Everybody on the team has to play.
"Chuck Daly did a fabulous job. He had two starting units...What he did was, you guys going to play the first 10 minutes, you guys going to play the second 10 minutes."
The decision to distribute minutes more evenly allows every member of the team to get on the court. It also prevents certain starters from being overworked. Against Serbia, LeBron James and Devin Booker led the game with 27 and 26 minutes, respectively.
"You can't expect anybody to go out there and practice and then not play in the Olympics. Come on man," added Barkley.
Jayson Tatum is coming off an outstanding season where he averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals per game. He was a contender for the league MVP until the final stages of the season and was named to the All-Star team for the fifth time in his career. Tatum was instrumental in leading the Boston Celtics to their first championship in over 15 years.
Team USA coach Steve Kerr will likely make adjustments against South Sudan and Puerto Rico
The USA is off to a strong start at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Steve Kerr's men overcame a talented Serbia side 110-84 in their opening game.
Kerr knows the hardest game of the group is now out of the way and could rotate his lineup more for the coming games. He played 10 of his 12-man roster against Serbia with Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum and Indiana Pacers Tyrese Haliburton missing out on the action.
The United States will face South Sudan on Wednesday. The Bright Stars are known for their athleticism and rebounding ability and the matchup seems like a better fit for Jayson Tatum's skillset.
The USA will play its final group stage game against Puerto Rico on August 3.