This is "PART" of the article about Team USA.
http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insider/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&id=2526774
LAS VEGAS -- Cutdown day is coming for Team USA, which needs to whittle its roster of 24 players down to 15 before heading overseas, and then down to 12 for the World Championships.
The first cuts will come Tuesday after the final day of practice. Then the team gets a five-day break, and the final active roster won't be submitted until Aug. 18 -- the day before the tournament begins.
Thus far,
Chris Paul has improved his stock the most, with
Carmelo Anthony a close second and
Joe Johnson third, judging by comments made by coach Mike Krzyzewski after practice Friday.
"Paul has really jumped up. He's the truest point guard, and he gets it downcourt so fast that we have to be able to run with him, and we're not in shape yet to do that," Krzyzewski said.
"Carmelo has stood out, he's like on a mission. I don't know what mission it is, but he's been terrific.
I didn't know Joe Johnson, and I don't know if there can be a more solid player. I mean he can play four positions, he shoots, he defends and he doesn't say peep. There's high maintenance, low maintenance and no maintenance. He's no maintenance. And I'm impressed with the potential of
Dwight Howard. What an amazing guy, and I just think he's going to grow."
The United States invited 24 players to training camp in Las Vegas, but injuries sidelined
Kobe Bryant,
J.J. Redick and
Paul Pierce, and the death of an infant son caused
Lamar Odom to withdraw.
Amare Stoudemire is attending and playing, but he's still recovering from knee surgery and would be an extreme longshot to make the final active roster.
Michael Redd and
Chauncey Billups are in camp but won't be traveling to Asia because of personal commitments.
That leaves 17 players (18 counting Stoudemire) vying for 12 spots, and Krzyzewski offered some insight into what the decision-making process will be when the first cut is made Tuesday.
"We have to be careful not to multiply positions too much," Krzyzewski said.
With Coach K's comments in mind, Insider handicaps each player's chances of actually wearing a Team USA jersey when the World Championships begins:
• Carmelo Anthony: A lock to make the active roster, and he may even be earning himself a spot in the starting lineup. "Carmelo came in here as part of a mission, and he has played accordingly. He's making a statement early on in this camp with how much he wants to make this team," team director Jerry Colangelo told Insider.
• Gilbert Arenas The coach's infatuation with the Paul is going to be bad news for one of the other point guards, but Arenas is clearly the best of them, and Team USA will need his outside shooting to contend with the steady diet of zone defenses they'll see. Pretty close to being a lock for the final 12.
• Shane Battier His Duke roots won't hurt him, but the numbers game will likely work against him. Odds are he'll be a practice player who makes the trip to Japan but doesn't make the cut from 15 to 12.
• Chris Bosh: He's a favorite of Colangelo's, and Team USA desperately needs his size and inside-outside game. Look for him to be the first big man off the bench in Japan, though he may start against teams with multiple big men who can shoot the 3.
• Bruce Bowen: This is the guy they were talking about when they said they wanted to bring in role players, and Bowen's role will be to defend the opposing team's best scorer. If the US faces Argentina, he'll be the one guarding Spurs teammate
Manu Ginobili. With his defense and 3-point shooting, he's another lock for the final 12.
• Elton Brand: He's America's best big man, at least until Greg Oden (who attended two days of this training camp) gets to the NBA, and he has plenty of international basketball experience. Probably the starting center in Japan.
• Kobe Bryant: Stunned Colangelo and Krzyzewski by undergoing knee surgery a couple of days before camp opened. Is not in Las Vegas yet, but is expected to attend the second phase of camp beginning July 31.
• Kirk Hinrich: Has been slowed during camp by a tweaked hamstring, which hasn't helped his case for possibly being the third point guard. It's still too early to count him out, though.
• Dwight Howard: A lock for the 15-man squad that will leave for Asia on Aug. 4, and it's hard to see him being kept off the final 12-man roster. Coach K sounded genuinely impressed, saying he expects to see even greater things two weeks from now.
• LeBron James: The King is a lock for Japan, the only question being what his role will be in the World Championship. You could make the case that he'd be the perfect sixth man if Coach K went with a starting five of Paul,
Dwyane Wade, Bowen, Anthony and Brand.
• Antawn Jamison: Told Insider after practice Friday that this is the first time in his life he's been in the position of trying out for a team. "I'm in a situation where I'm on the bubble, but I think I'm unique. I can come in and shoot from the outside is they need me to, or I can score on the inside. I can adapt too to what we're doing defensively, and I think that fits in to what this team is trying to do."
• Joe Johnson: Another lock for Japan, and will probably be the emergency third point guard behind Paul and Arenas. Put him out there with a couple of other shooters, and no one will dare play zone against the U.S.
• Shawn Marion: The only guy in camp who played on both the 2002 World Championship team and the 2004 Olympic team. A favorite of Colangelo's, so we'll list him as a 99 percent lock to make the final 12.
• Brad Miller: When the team bigwigs debate the merits of bringing an extra big man, this is one of the main guys they're talking about. He'll probably be on the plane to Asia, but a spot on the final 12 will have to be earned -- or created by an injury.
• Adam Morrison: He's in camp to get a taste of the program, but his stay is expected to be short. He's the easiest guy to cut, so count on him getting cut Tuesday.
• Lamar Odom: Withdrew after Jayden Odom, his third child, died in a crib last month just 6 1/2 months after being born.
• Chris Paul: The reigning Rookie of the Year, as noted above, has been the most impressive player in camp. He's not a lock yet for the final 12, but he's pretty close.
• Michael Redd: Is attending camp, but won't be traveling to Asia because of his upcoming marriage plans. Would have been the pure shooter the Americans have been lacking the past few years, and will probably play in Beijing.
• Luke Ridnour: He was an early favorite to be one of the first cuts, but Hinrich's hamstring injury might be helping his cause somewhat. If he makes the final 15, he'd be a practice player in Asia.
• Amare Stoudemire: Lots of people forget he was a member of the 2004 Olympic team because Larry Brown kept him buried on the end of the bench. His recent knee surgery makes him the easiest cut aside from Morrison.
• Dwyane Wade: A lock for Japan, and probably a lock for the starting lineup. But will Coach K use him as the starting point guard? Or does he put him at shooting guard and find another place to use LeBron? It'll to be interesting to watch as the team plays exhibitions in Las Vegas (against Puerto Rico Aug. 3), Guangzhou, China (against China and Lithuania Aug. 7-8) and Seoul, South Korea (against Lithuania and Korea Aug. 13 and 15).
