Wha' Happened? Kris Joseph No Longer Playing For Canada

You know, I could tell something was up from the original article about Kris Joseph playing for the Canadian Development Team with the possibility that he could make the National Team soon enough.  It was the way Leo Rautins went out of his way, over and over again, to stress how unlikely it was that Kris would be able to make the big boy squad.  It just seemed...unnecessary. 

Then there was this ominous tweet from KJ on July 13th.

Canada basketball on some dumb ish once again.. Politics politics politics.. never fails. @rozsnaki you'll be aiight bruh

Ray Bala from RaptorHQ explains...

that refers to that fact that one of Kris’ fellow Quebecers and roster mates Ryan Rozsnaki seems to have left the camp prematurely. As I was entering the workout this morning, Rozsnaki was changing to go with another player. There may be something behind it but I’d have to ask Kris tomorrow at the camp. [Canadian Basketball] has been rumored to be very clandestine and an old boys type closeness of key people. Very strange these people.

Wednesday at practice, Ray made a note that Head honcho Leo Rautins (of the New York Rautins) pulled young KrisJo aside for some serious chatter.

...during the session, Kris was called over by Coach Leo to the far end of the gym and they talked for what could have been 25 minutes. At the end of the morning session, Rautins called out to Joseph as he was leaving and they spoke again briefly and they ended with Kris walking out and Leo holding out his arms as if to ask, "What up?", and it didn’t seem to be in the jovial, jokey way. I don’t want to infer anything into this and say it’s fact but there definitely seems to be something going on with Joseph that is weighing heavy on his mind.

It doesn't take a scientist to see what was gonna happen next.  Kris has officially left Canada's Development Team and will not be a part of the roster this summer. Leo's statement was factual, unemotional and short.

"Kris Joseph decided to return to Syracuse to continue his workouts,’’ Leo Rautins, the Senior and Development head coach, said. "I hope nothing but the best for Kris.’’

So, from what we can gather, it sounds like Kris didn't like the way his friend was being treated, he voiced his displeasure with the medium of the day, which got back to Grand Chancellor Rautins, who was none too please, voiced some concerns of his own back to Kris and an accord was reach for each other to go their own way. 

Sounds like it was the best move for Kris.  Now he can work with Scoop et al. over the summer, crank out a couple Scoop & Kris Shows and prep for the upcoming season.  Would it have been good experience?  Sure.  But I'm pretty sure Koseph will be just fine without it.