Once the dust settles on this upcoming weekend, the Phoenix Suns are one of the four teams that will have a shot at playing for an NBA championship. Despite that, one of their stars is headed to the Olympics in Tokyo this summer, while a second player is being pursued by USA Basketball for a spot, too.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Devin Booker has committed to wearing the red, white, and blue in Japan next month. While he’s on board, Marc Stein of the New York Times brings word that decision-makers in USA Basketball are doing what they can to convince Chris Paul to play.
Phoenix Suns All-Star guard Devin Booker has committed to join the 12-man Team USA roster for the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 18, 2021
The most pressing issue, obviously, is his availability for the Western Conference finals, but Phoenix’s Chris Paul has been actively pursued this month by @usabasketball for a spot on the Tokyo Olympic team, league sources say. Lots for Paul, 36, to weigh amid a deep playoff run
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 18, 2021
With or without an ultimate commitment from Paul to join Bradley Beal, Draymond Green, Damian Lillard and Jayson Tatum, USAB officials have pursued CP3 and others still in the playoffs, comfortable that not all of the final 12-man roster would report for training camp on July 6.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 18, 2021
As Stein noted, the inherent issue (at least from Team USA’s perspective) is the potential that the Suns make a run to the Finals — a potential Game 7 would take place is July 22, with the Olympics slated to begin on July 23 and men’s basketball tipping off on July 25. There would certainly be a plan in place in the event the Suns go on a run to the Finals, but it would make sense if Paul, who is 36 and hurt his shoulder earlier this postseason, would pass on the opportunity to rest.
Still, if the Americans only get Booker off of the Suns, that would be quite the addition to a loaded roster. Earlier in the day on Friday, it was reported that Washington Wizards star Bradley Beal will join the trio of players — Draymond Green, Damian Lillard, Jayson Tatum — who already committed to suiting up in Tokyo. The rest of the roster will surely come to light in coming days, but at the very least, the United States is going to score a whole lot of points with the dudes that have already committed to the team.