The FIBA World Championships will kick off in August, which means it’s far too early for Team USA to have solidified its 12-man roster.
That said, Chris Paul, provided he’s healthy enough to play, is a lock. He’s still interested in playing alongside America’s finest, and he’s the best point guard in the game today.
Such conditionality might not have meant much a few months ago, but Paul returned from a left knee injury earlier this week that sidelined him for 25 games. He played well, but obviously looked a bit removed from his All-Star self. It’s obvious that Paul and the team took every precaution in waiting to bring Chris back into the lineup, which is a luxury the Hornets can afford as a team safely out of the playoff race, and one blessed with a talented back-up point guard in Darren Collison.
But although Paul looks to be on the mend now, August is a long way away. That long way could be filled with problem-free workouts, as Chris looks to get himself back into game shape and regain his timing. Or he could experience complications, a possibility with any player recovering from injury. Plus, after a long regular season and an extended rehab period, will Paul be ready to go by the time Team USA opens up mini-camp? Even Chris isn’t sure. From the Associated Press:
Paul said he’d also like to play for Team USA in the FIBA World
Championships in Turkey, beginning in late August. However, he said it
was too early to know if he’d be able to play for the national team,
given that his comeback is only one game in.
“There’s a lot left
to see,” Paul said. “I’ve played one game now and today’s the first day
after, so I’ve still got to see how my knee’s doing and everything like
that, but there’s nothing like playing international ball. It’s such a
good feeling when you can represent your country.”Bower said
he’ll talk with Paul about Team USA after the season, but he did not
indicate that the Hornets would stand in the way if Paul appeared to be
healthy enough to play in Turkey.“Representing the Hornets and
USA Basketball is a huge honor and we understand that, and the care and
conditions that that team is under during their participation is
something that is beyond question,” Bower said. “So we’ll talk about
all that in the offseason.”
Having the blessing of the franchise isn’t essential, but it’s certainly important. These situations — in which injured players participate in international competition in the off-season — can be rather tense, as the player’s desire to represent their country and the owner, mangement, and coaching staff’s desire to protect their assets come into direct conflict with one another. Just ask Mark Cuban or Gregg Poppovich.
