As training camps across the league kick off later this month, we’ve entered the final weeks of the offseason. That means any evergreen debates only have a limited shelf life left. After discussing the latest chapter of the LA Clippers and Kawhi Leonard saga, Zach Lowe had a fun second segment.

Lowe invited Bill Simmons on his podcast on Thursday to talk about a possible Team USA roster for the 2028 Olympics. Considering the Oklahoma City Thunder just had one of the most dominant seasons ever capped off by an NBA championship, it shouldn’t be surprising to see several players mentioned in this thought exercise.

After LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry led Team USA to another gold medal in the 2024 Olympics, expect the upcoming games to mark a new era of international basketball. Fresh faces will likely field most of the roster as Los Angeles hosts the 2028 Olympics.

There were two usual Thunder names attached who should likely join Team USA for the first time. Jalen Williams broke out last season as one of the best players with a first-time All-Star and All-NBA nod. Chet Holmgren could soon join him. Both helped OKC capture the Larry O’Brien trophy and will be 28 and 27 years old, respectively, in 2028.

But as Simmons filled out his depth chart, he constructed his roster to be practical. That means you can’t just stack the best players in the league together. You need some hierarchy where players understand their roles to avoid another awkward situation, ala Jayson Tatum.

With that in mind, he went with the surprise selection of Cason Wallace. That would mean three Thunder players would be on Team USA. The last time that happened was the 2012 Olympics with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and James Harden. Lowe loved the pick.

“It’s a bet on him on what he’s going to be like in the next couple of years. You figure Lu Dort and Caruso, I don’t think they have both in a couple of years. The Second Apron makes it impossible,” Simmons said. “He’s going to keep getting big minutes in big games. I think he’ll have to handle the ball a little more as the years pass. Maybe he can be my second ball-handler.”

That’s a pretty good theory to have. Wallace is only 21 years old. He’ll be 24 years old in 2028. He’s already helped the Thunder be a title contender in his first two seasons as a role player who can seamlessly transition between starter and bench player. If he makes a jump, he could be one of the best perimeter defenders in the league.

If you’re the Thunder, you have to love what Wallace has shown through two seasons. He’s already played an important role on an NBA champion. Imagine just how much better he gets as he feels more comfortable being a ball-handler.