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Steve Kerr Reveals THIS Reason Behind Jayson Tatum's Underwhelming Role for Team USA; DETAILS Inside
Jayson Tatum is on the bench for Team USA in the Olympic but people are surprised that he is not even getting proper minutes from the bench at times.
In the Paris Olympic semifinals, Team USA defeated Serbia, and Jayson Tatum was again declared a DNP. Although head coach Steve Kerr has stated that lineups are everything, most believe that Tatum's lack of playing will impact his chances of competing in the Olympics in the future. However, Steve Kerr restated that Tatum's actions are less important than those of other players.
Kerr said, "It's not about anything Jayson is doing or not doing. It's just about combinations and the way that group has played together, the way Kevin has filled in since he came back from his injury. It's just a math problem more than anything."
Tatum hasn't played in five games for the second time, but both of those instances came against Serbia, which provides even more justification for Kerr's decision to stick with matchups.
Outside of the Paris Olympics, many have questioned Jayson Tatum's role. Bill Simmons recently stated on his podcast that because of his small role this year, Tatum might not participate in the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
Simmons said on his podcast, "The main one was that Tatum did not play. We discussed on Tuesday why Tatum most likely would not play in this game, particularly if it is close, because of his poor shooting. It will amaze me if he plays in 2028. I'm just stating that when you're making difficult decisions like these, I imagine there will be consequences later. I don't have any inside knowledge at all."
After achieving other goals during the NBA season, Tatum talked about how it felt to not be on the court for Team USA during his first DNP against Serbia. Tatum said, "Win a championship, new contract, cover of [NBA] 2K, and then you sit a whole game. Cover of Sports Illustrated. So it was a humbling experience."
Only Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton haven’t played a significant part for Team USA, though they still receive minutes when the game is in certain circumstances. Given their prior team experience, both players will almost certainly receive more playing time in addition to being considered for the 2028 Olympics.
Tatum was instrumental in helping Team USA win a gold medal at the Olympics in Tokyo, but with LeBron James now on the squad and Anthony Edwards showcasing his dominance, things have changed this time around. When 2028 rolls around, it will be interesting to see what choice Tatum makes.
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