LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kevin Durant and Team USA 2012 Roster Predictions

Less than six months until the games kick off in London this summer, and almost no questions have been answered conclusively about who will represent USA basketball in the 2012 Olympics.  Managing director Jerry Colangelo and head coach Mike Krzyzweski find themselves in the enviable position of having to choose from one of the deepest pools of talent in the team's history.

Soon, they'll be knee deep in tough decisions.

Should they start aging superstar Kobe Bryant for his experience?  

Will NBA stars get precedence over less accomplished players during the selection process?  

Will they model the roster after the Redeem Team of 2008 or the FIBA world champions of two years ago?

The pressure will be on to see if they can replicate their success from the past few years, and anything less than a gold medal will be considered a failure.

First Things First: Will Kobe Be There?

Kobe Bryant was the centerpiece of the 2008 Olympic Team's offense, as well as the designated defensive stopper and go-to closer.  His contributions to that team were crucial to its success, but he can no longer be that guy.  International competition continues to improve, while Kobe's physical condition continues to deteriorate.

He has already said he'll be a part of the team.  However, with an aggravated wrist injury and a host of other small injuries, as well as a condensed NBA schedule and a possible deep playoff run, this will be a different situation from 2008, when Bryant was the reigning MVP.

My guess is he will opt not to participate in the games.  His ability is unquestionable, as is his resolve, but he owes it to the Lakers to stay healthy.  At best, he could accept a secondary, floor general role similar to the one Jason Kidd and Chauncey Billups had on their respective international teams.

Dwight Howard, Carmelo Anthony, and Derrick Rose

Kobe shouldn't be the only marquee player who might be on the outside looking in this summer.  Three more of the NBA's top 15 players have struggled in international play in the past, unable to translate their NBA skills into FIBA results.

Carmelo Anthony

Though lauded as perhaps the NBA's best scorer, Melo's shot wasn't falling in Beijing four years ago, and he finished the tournament shooting just a hair better than 42 percent.  Playing well in training camp will certainly improve his stock, but he'll have to produce better than he did in 2008.

Dwight Howard

In 2008, Dwight was a much skinnier, more raw player, but he still dominated the paint, hitting 75 percent of his shots.  The problem was that he couldn't stay on the floor, recording 23 fouls in eight games and averaging only 16 minutes a game.  He also converted on only 17 of his 37 free throws, good for 46 percent.  

He's an older and better player now, but he might face the same problems this time around.

Derrick Rose

Rose was expected to help Durant carry the load in 2010, but had very pedestrian stats despite playing 23 minutes a game.  His patented tear drop wasn't falling, and he was unable to get the the free throw line.  He also made only five of his 18 attempted threes.  While he did play solid defense, he was even overshadowed by his fellow guards in this area.

These guys are perennial All-Stars and living highlight reels, but they failed to produce on the international stage, and might not get a second chance.

Who's a Lock, Then?

There are several superstars who shined in Beijing and Turkey, and who will, barring an injury, almost certainly receive a spot on the final roster.

LeBron James

His game was full of holes in Beijing, but that didn't stop LeBron James from leading Team USA in field goals made, steals and minutes played.  He was an unstoppable bulldozer then, and now he's unstoppable bulldozer with a reliable jump shot and free-throw stroke.

Dwyane Wade

Wade came off the bench to lead the 2008 team in scoring, and closed out the final game against Spain almost single-handedly.  He's perhaps the most complete player in the NBA. With his compact frame and ridiculous athleticism, he's definitely the most suited for FIBA play.

Chris Paul

Paul is the most polished point guard in the league.  He's second to none defensively and when running an offense, and he's just now in the prime of his career.  He did a little of everything in Beijing, playing efficiently and dictating the flow of every game.

Chris Bosh

It's easy to forget how well Bosh played, and surely, most people have.  With Dwight Howard straddling the bench throughout most of the games, Bosh actually led Team USA's big men in minutes played. He scored unbelievably efficiently and rebounded at a higher rate than anyone else on the team.  His excellent range and mobility make him perfect for the international style of play.

Kevin Durant

On a 2010 team devoid of superstar talent, Durant got more minutes and looks than he can expect to this time around. He delivered in 2010, establishing Team USA scoring records and obliterating Lithuania and Turkey in the semifinals and finals.

The Energy Guys

Those will most likely be the stars, but every good team needs role players.  Guys who will knock down shots or pester the opposing guards are as important as scorers, and no one did that better for Team USA than these guys.

Eric Gordon

In much the same way as Dwyane Wade had before him, Gordon provided a powerful scoring punch with the 2010 Team's second unit.  He was on fire throughout the tournament, spreading the floor and breaking zones with his three-point shooting.  On defense he was relentless as well.  If he shows the same energy again, he could very well be the sixth man off the bench this summer.

Russell Westbrook

Westbrook almost didn't make the roster, and probably wouldn't have if Rondo hadn't stepped out for personal reasons at the last minute.  He got to the line almost at will, and along with Gordon provided an energetic alternative to the often lethargic back court of Rose and Billups.  

Physically, Westbrook is superior to any FIBA guard in the world, and the rest of his game is quickly catching up.

Andre Iguodala

Iguodala played defensive stopper for the 2010 team, and was efficient offensively as well.  He guarded all five positions expertly, and led the team in steals and field-goal percentage.  He proved himself to be a very capable, versatile player, and will likely be rewarded with a chance to do so again.

The Center Dilemma

This is easily the most fluid position.  No one could have expected that it would be Kevin Love and Lamar Odom who would see the most time at center two years ago, but all the other options were exhausted at the last moment, leaving Colangelo with no choice.  

As it turned out, these two fit the style perfectly, and showed that they were more than capable of guarding the premier big men from around the world.

Odom is not getting any younger, though.  I doubt he will be considered, although his body of work certainly speaks for itself.  Love might get in, but with all the scoring already on the roster, a more defensive center is needed more.

Either Lopez brother, Brook or Robin, might make the roster, or Tyson Chandler.  The best player for the center spot would be Lamarcus Aldridge.  He's excellent offensively and a solid low post defender.  Ultimately, it will have to come down to whoever is in shape and available.  It's too early to be able to tell who that will be.

Who Will Miss the Cut?

Unfortunately, some talented and popular players will not be on the final 12-man roster for the tip off.  These will be players who were outperformed during training camp, or whose skills do not fit in with the team's identity.

Blake Griffin

Griffin is a phenomenal dunker, and will easily be the best dunker at training camp, but I predict that the coaching staff will decide his post defense and offensive arsenal aren't polished enough to include him on the roster.  That might not be the case in two or four years, though.

Rajon Rondo

Rondo went through this in 2010.  He was a step slower than the other guards, his shot wasn't falling, and his passes were all missing their marks.  It will be hard for him to beat out Westbrook or Paul for a spot, although he's certainly talented enough to do so.

Rudy Gay

Rudy Gay made the cut on the FIBA international team, but he was out-performed in every aspect by Iguodala.  If that can be taken as a sign of things to come, he won't stand a chance against the loaded pool of talent at the small forward position with which he'll be competing.

The Final Roster

The Final roster will be a fusing of the two previous ones, blending their separate styles of dominance.

PG:  Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook
SG:  Dwyane Wade, Eric Gordon
SF:  Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala
PF:  LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Kevin Love/Lamar Odom
C:  Dwight Howard/Tyson Chandler, Lamarcus Aldridge

These are only my predictions.  The actual selection process will begin in late January, and the final lineup could end up looking very different from that.