I think when all is said and done, having to put up with an extra 12 months of these threads will be the single worst thing covid-19 does to us.

That's right, even worse than it gifting Perth a title.

Nick Kay was born in 1992.

Probably a quarter of the guys on the depth chart have no reasonable chance of making the team. I'm not sure in what world Gliddon, Sobey, Humphries or Noi get a real look at this team. I like Noi but at his position his only chance is if some players fall to COVID19. Gliddon and Sobey aint shit.

I think 2021 will actually find the Boomers in a better situation to medal than 2020 would have. You have the emergence of Josh Green, who should have an NBA contract by then; you have the likely naturalization of Bryce Cotton. Ben Simmons has a year to get healthy. Mattise Thybulle another year to grow and improve. Sure, the older guard gets a year older, and there are question marks on Andrew Bogut. But I think the team we will end up with next year will have the best of both old and new. A lot of very tough decisions will have to be made and there is no particular position where we'd be under-strength.

Another upside if the fact that Spain should have aged out of competing at the absolute top level. They've been a thorn in our side like Lithuania used to be and the sooner they bugger off a bit, the better. They're about an Olympic campaign older than our older guys and Pau Gasol is likely to retire.

ME - so if someone gets an NBA contract, he is entitled to a NT spot? Apart from obvious athleticism, Green has not shown anything much (Olgun can try to glorify his play but one fact is for sure that he went from a high lottary pick to mid twenties due to his offensive game) and based on his potential and if he develops as everyone hopes he may be an important part in the future but personally I don't see him as part of a team that aims for gold (Brown's words).
The team needs depth especially in PG/SG spots, players capable of creating for others and themselves and great (not good, not decent) shooters, and a backup for Ingles. The main issue will be cohesion and how they will be able to play against team defense under FIBA rules. Atm Ben (if healthy), Patty, Joe, Aron, and hate to say Bogut (if healthy) should be locks, all others have been so inconsistent for various reasons and will need to fight for a spot.

As far as I'm aware, BA has generated a list of some 60+ names that should be considered for the initial squad, so yes there are many others missing from this list.

"ME - so if someone gets an NBA contract, he is entitled to a NT spot?"

Entitled, no. But if we're being realistic, a lottery pick draftee will likely find a spot on the team somewhere. He's certainly far more in the mix for 2021 than he would be this year, and his first year in the NBA may or may not cement that.

As for shooters, I am not sure shooting will be our problem. Cotton, Mills, Ingles, Baynes, Broekhoff are all guys who can shoot the rock and I'd expect all of them on the team if healthy.

From all the messages and indications, the draft will be skewed towards older players, mainly NCAA juniors and seniors ie greater sample size for decision making and selection, which doesn't help Green. Most boards see him mid 20s, which means no guaranteed contract. He does have physical predisposition thus potential but his skillsets need lots of work.

'We lookin good for the future if our guards can shoot the 3 at a good clip'

Yet you picked WMW and Giddey who are so inconsistent and unproven. From suggested Exum would be their most consistent outside shooter and he is not that consistent either. The team needs players who thrive under pressure, a few on this team but most of them rarely if ever played a game that really mattered.

I'd say let them fight for spots, invite as many as you can and the selectors may be surprised ie Kay selection and performance. Stop picking them based on height or wing span, this is not an NBA draft

Impossible to know what happens when the guard changes to the kids. Some of them are going to get Olympic experience next year regardless. But most of the kids listed there wont make the 2021 team. In four years who knows what we're looking at. We're certainly producing some talent but I am yet to see anyone I can earmark as the next Mills, Ingles, Delly, Baynes and Bogut.

Luckily the next squad could very well still have Delly and Cotton in it, I think both will be around 32. Broekhoff will be 33 or 34 and still in the mix. I still don't see 2023/4 being an absolutely clean handover. But certainly the Boomers core that the team has been based on for over a decade wont be there.

Wonder if the Olympic's schedule-change to 2021 will affect Bret Brown's involvement.

I think people are really jumping the gun when it comes to Magnay in the NBA. He has shown potential but he still wouldn't be anything more than training fodder at this point.

"Impossible to know what happens when the guard changes to the kids" - correct

A team like the one Anon listed above for 2021 makes more sense and is very balanced if everyone healthy. I like to be optimist in all this since Aus does have a really good base to select the right fit and be really competitive for years ahead. However I'd be very careful what to say on this board, yes the kids read comments and get hyped or disappointed depending on perception, which can have detrimental effect on them personally. There's only one advice - keep working your ass off and your time will come.

Not really if you consider that Exum played with most already. If you want Thybulle as a shooter, maybe dropping Maker would be a better option. In any case a good selection problem to have.

What I noticed with some powerhouses like Serbia and Lithuania, they usually invite 35 players to initial selection camp and go from there. BA should do something similar despite the cost. BA want results yet don't want to commit financially.

We don't need replacement for Bogut, the game moved away from a typical center, thus Humphries will struggle to make a team. Have not seen him play recently so can't comment but he should be somewhere playing in a real competitive setting in order to get better, G league is not for developing talent. Not sure why he left Adriatic league. I'd have Bogut on the team just because of experience and influence, nothing else.

Joe is tough one to replace, none of the listed is nowhere close, maybe we could bulk up Giddey instead.

As for replacing Goulding - that's why BA list includes players who are not listed on this board - Vasiljevic is the closest to be considered. Half way through the season he was the best 3 point shooter in NCAA (over 50%) but it went down a lot when his PGs went down injured and he had to carry the team in the second half of the season in ACC. I. White is another one, a bit undersized but a really great outside shooter. I mentioned only two not listed above since they played for high majors but there are others good shooters in mid-majors that could potentially improve in years ahead.

I just think we all should be excited with talent BA has available, I hope they don't screw up as usual.

^2 yrs ago I'd probably agree with you but not the scout now, plus he's slimmer and quicker which helped. He is a 6'3 rebounding guard, led NCAA in transition 3s last year, obviously really good at spacing. Importantly he played some tough games for NT during junior years and at Uni games, giving him important experience. Some NBA teams like his toughness and ability to shoot the rock - don't think so much to draft him but given chance he could surprise a few.

Interestingly nobody mentions height when talking Petty or Cotton yet many are happy to use that as an argument to discount players otherwise. The only way to find out is to put them all in the mix.

True, but discussion is about defensive ability and again a smart coach can exploit miss-matches and shoot over or post up against Patty. We all remember Rodriguez attacking him in the last seconds at Rio Olympics (don't want to get involved in discussion about the call). SA plays him for his shooting and spacing created by his speed plus experience and personality, BA has the same approach. His defensive weaknesses are minimized by help defense in international games.

It's a mute argument anyway as it all started with a statement 'we can't replace Goulding', suddenly CG is a good defender? Yes they are all replaceable and Joe will be a tough one to replace.

^still long way to 23/24 and beyond and replacements for current players, I'm not talking about next year. His progression's been followed by those interested since 2014 and always upward which says something about his intangibles. He will definitely earn his contract soon.

Also don't think it's fair calling these 3 players 'a bust' (my interpretation), imo they made a mistake going back to a league or maybe teams that really pays so little attention to players' development. Drmic with a pass first PG would be a far better player, same with Jack, so put these three together on any team and give them play time and you would be surprised. It's always about fit and opportunity.

As I said, BA has created a list with lots of names for consideration - and yes it has these 3 included - which means the future is bright. Senior NT should be fluid with 22-24 players in the mix with probably 9-10 locks for 2021, but more open later. Most of players are being monitored, followed and tested through various opportunities ie qualifiers, Uni games... many don't realize that for example Magney showed his ability during recent Uni games and that set the tone for the season. Nobody has a crystal ball to say how the current stock will develop and stay healthy so we need all hands on deck.

^shown minimum given opportunity, Drmic also victim of past injuries I believe.

Also won't go Kevin White on the list, all the information presented to us was given in confidence. Try Olgun instead :)

I don't mind talking arguments but discounting players based on their misfortunes or perceived shortcomings should not be a way how we support our NT and a squad. I feel the same about our NT - there is no A, B, C... team - it's always NT with the best players and fits available, no what ifs. What if Ben played, what if Exum was healthy... there has to be always someone else to step in, may not be a superstar but this person will definitely appreciate the opportunity and bust his chops to show appreciation. The public should acknowledge that. And NT is not about entertaining, it's about achieving goals, who cares if we play ugly yet win gold.

Just watched Boomers beat Team USA again for the first time since I saw it live in Melbourne. What an absolutely inspirational feat it was. The game had everything and the Boomers looked like they genuinely were going to win the gold medal at the world cup.

It sucks beyond belief that, once again, they couldn't drape anything around their necks. This team has knocked on the door of greatness so many times yet have fallen at the last hurdle.

I really really hope 2021 isn't more of the same.

I think when looking at potential line ups, you have to look at the reasons why we fell at the World Cup. It was our depth at point guard, shooting guard, and center. In the last games, Andrew Bogut and Aron Baynes were spent. Patty Mills was overused and tired. Ingles was overused and tired.

You'd like to see the like-for-like replacements for Sobey, Gliddon and Barlow being Simmons, Cotton and Broekhoff.

Then I'd be interested in what we can do in the back-up center spot. I expect Bogut to actually have another go-around but you cannot rely on just him and Baynes. Is there a place for a Magnay or a Maker?

Outside of that, not too much needs to be fixed. I'd certainly want the core of the 2019 team to see its way through, plus Cotton, Simmons, Thybulle, Broekhoff, maybe Exum.

Add those 5 names and the bench improves dramatically.