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Head coach Steve Kerr detailed his meeting with Jayson Tatum after he failed to record playing time during the United States’ 110-84 win over Serbia to begin the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
“It’s really hard in a 40-minute game to play more than 10 guys,” Kerr explained, per Olympics correspondent Gary Washburn. “And with Kevin coming back I just went with the combinations I felt would make the most sense. It seems crazy. I thought I was crazy when I looked at everything and determined these are lineups I want to get to. Jayson’s first-team All-NBA three years in a row. He’s one of the best players in the world. But I went with the combinations I felt would make sense. I talked to him and he’s incredibly professional.”
The Golden State Warriors head coach confirmed that Tatum will receive minutes during Team USA’s upcoming contests.
“That’s [Sunday]. It doesn’t mean it’s going to stay that way, the rest of the tournament,” he said. “He’ll make his mark.”
Kerr added that Tatum handled the meeting well and is prepared to contribute in future games.
“Our guys know this, the key to this whole thing is to put all the NBA stuff in the rearview mirror and just win six games,” he said. “Jayson’s the ultimate pro and a champion. He handled it well and he’ll be ready for the next one.”
Tatum was expected to be a larger contributor for the U.S. after winning a championship with the Boston Celtics during the 2023-24 season. The five-time All-Star previously earned a gold medal during the Tokyo Olympics and secured a starting spot during an exhibition contest against Serbia on July 17.
Instead, Tatum joined Tyrese Haliburton as the only two members of the roster that didn’t see any playing time during Saturday’s victory.
The addition of Kevin Durant to the U.S. rotation resulted in a decreased role for the Celtics star. Durant thrived against Serbia, dropping 23 points on 8-9 shooting in just under 17 minutes of action.
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While there were initially some concerns over Tatum’s health contributing to his lack of playing time, he confirmed that he wasn’t dealing with any illness following the game (per Washburn).
Kerr will need to limit the minutes of another player in the United States’ rotation to include Tatum, which could be a difficult choice. Decreasing the minutes of Durant and LeBron James likely isn’t an option, leaving Tatum to battle with Devin Booker and Anthony Edwards for playing time.
Tatum should have a chance to make an impression on the U.S. coaching staff during the team’s next game, a clash with South Sudan on Wednesday. Tip-off is at 3 p.m. ET.
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