The 2016 US Men's Basketball Team vs...

[Slyfox696]

I bet you thought I was going to say The Dream Team. Well, you're wrong. Like usual.


No, instead I want to compare the gold medal winning 2016 US Men's Olympic basketball team against the 2016 US Men's Olympic basketball team declinees. For those unaware, the list of players who turned down an opportunity to play in the Olympics is quite long and impressive. The purpose of this thread is to decide which team is better.

Here are the guidelines.

1) Assume all players are healthy
2) You CAN use Olympic performance to make arguments (I know that might be a little unfair, but Olympic performance is a fact)
3) It is a best of 7 series
4) All games will be contested under an imaginary Olympic setting. This means all games will be contested under FIBA rules with FIBA referees and the FIBA basketball and are being played in Rio.
5) The same coaching staff is being used for both teams (in other words, Coach K is cloned and is the head coach for both teams and has the same assistants).
6) You're welcome to readjust the starting lineup for either team.


Here are the rosters and what I project to be the starting five for each team.

2016 Olympic Roster

Spoiler

Starting Five (determined by gold medal game)
G - Kyrie Irving
G - Klay Thompson
F - Kevin Durant
F - Carmelo Anthony
C - DeAndre Jordan

Bench

G - Kyle Lowry
G - DeMar DeRozan
G/F - Paul George
G/F - Jimmy Butler
F - Harrison Barnes
F/C - Draymond Green
C - DeMarcus Cousins

2016 Alternate Team

Spoiler

Starting Five
G - Chris Paul
G - Steph Curry
F - LeBron James
F - Blake Griffin
C - Anthony Davis

Bench
G - Russell Westbrook
G - Damian Lillard
G - James Harden
F - Gordon Hayward
F - Kawhi Leonard
F - LaMarcus Aldridge
C - Andre Drummond

So...who wins a 7 game series?

 

[Lowdown]

Sly, this is a tough one as on paper both teams look evenly matched. A case can be made for both teams in all honesty. But I'd have to say that I like the lineup of the alternates over the current Team USA. Having Chris Paul and Steph Curry as your starting backcourt is lethal. Then Harden, Westbrook, and Lillard of the bench? And don't get me started on Anthony Davis and Kawhi Leonard on defense.

 

[SSJPhenom]

The alternates easily. They may not have the scoring punch of KD and Melo, however, they have far better defensive players and not to mention 4 of the top 5 players in the world in James, Curry, Harden, and Westbrook. They also have two very versatile scoring bigs who can both play decent defense and Leonard, who if need be can start to defend KD and James can guard Melo.

So because of defense and overall basketball IQ (CP3 and James) I have to say the alternates would win and probably win handsomely.