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Update — Team USA and Australia have called off their exhibition game on Friday due to concerns over Covid-19, per Shams Charania.
Team USA-Australia game on Friday in Las Vegas has been cancelled.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 16, 2021
Team USA basketball has gotten off to a rough summer heading into the Tokyo Olympics. After Bradley Beal and Jerami Grant were placed in health and safety protocols, the team announced that Beal would need to be replaced and isn’t going to Japan. Now, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst is reporting Friday’s exhibition match in Las Vegas between Team USA and Australia may be canceled due to Covid-19 concerns.
Team USA is in a struggle with COVID as one player is out of Olympics (Brad Beal), another is in protocols (Jerami Grant) and now there are discussions underway about canceling tomorrow's game with Australia, sources tell @OlgunUluc & me
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) July 15, 2021
Team USA has already announced that Beal will not travel with the team to Japan and will need to be replaced on the roster. Early reports are that Miami Heat G Duncan Robinson is being considered to replace Beal. It’s unclear if Grant will need to be replaced on the roster as well. Chances are the U.S. and Australia teams won’t risk playing an exhibition game with the tournament starting next weekend.
The United States lost its first exhibition match to Australia last week and also lost to Nigeria in Las Vegas. Team USA bounced back with an easy win over Argentina after the two straight losses. Jayson Tatum is dealing with a knee injury and hasn’t played since the first exhibition game against Nigeria. So Team USA could end up being down Grant, Beal and Tatum, while three players are still in the NBA Finals and have yet to join the team: Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker.