LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh had some free-agency business. Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul need to heal injuries.
Time to start choosing their replacements.
While its recent mainstays take the summer off, Team USA gets back to work today in Las Vegas, opening training camp for the players competing for a chance to play in the world championships.
“I think everyone is antsy to get going again. It’ll be fun because we’ve got a bunch of young guys who are very hungry, and it’s a different group,” USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said. “It’s challenging, but it’s also exciting. That’s the way we choose to look at it.”
The camp roster includes Nuggets guard Chauncey Billups among 21 players who will practice through Friday, working some of the time against a group of 20 college seniors. The week ends with an intrasquad game Saturday.
The U.S. roster could be trimmed before the team reconvenes next month in New York to continue its training.
The world championships run Aug. 28-Sept. 12 in Turkey.
