It was recently announced that Bradley Beal will not be playing in the Tokyo Olympics due to health and safety protocols. One Miami Heat player is in conversations to replace him.
Duncan Robinson was originally part of the 57-player pool who were named as finalists for Team USA. According to Grant Afseth of Sports Illustrated, Robinson is now “among the replacement options” to replace Beal.
After dropping their first two exhibition games to Nigeria and Australia, Team USA bounced back with a big-time win over Argentina. Despite this, there are still some concerns as to how well they will perform in Tokyo.
Though their loss to Australia is somewhat understandable, the loss to Nigeria came as a complete shock. The game saw Team USA get outscored from three-point range by 30 points, led by Miami Heat player Gabe Vincent.
Adding Robinson to the roster would certainly help in that regard. He shot 40.8% from three last year and has been one of the best shooters in the NBA for the past two seasons.
Team USA is mainly made up of players who are used to having the ball in their hands at all times. Having a player who isn’t a top option on their team could help round out the roster.
Robinson’s skillset would help Team USA run a wider variety of plays. He’s used to coming off screens and playing in primarily catch-and-shoot situations.
The one downside to playing in Tokyo for Robinson is his impending free agency. He could risk getting injured and hurting his market value by playing all summer.
At the same time, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to represent your country at the Olympics. He’d also get to play alongside his Miami Heat teammate Bam Adebayo.
While it’s never fun to see a player lose the chance to play for Team USA, this could be a great opportunity for Robinson. He would get to play with some of the best players in the world and help his country on its quest for gold.
Nothing is official yet, but keep an eye out for who Team USA chooses to join them in Tokyo. Maybe the Miami Heat will get even more representation in the Olympics this summer.