Damian Lillard Declines Invite to Play in Rio 2016 Olympics

The plot continued to thicken for Team USA men's basketball on Thursday when Portland Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard became the latest to decline an invitation for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Shams Charania of The Veritcal reported on Lillard's decision not to suit up for the U.S. in the upcoming Summer Games, which puts the Americans down another top-tier option to run the offense.

Sam Amick of USA Today reported Lillard is frustrated with Team USA for pushing him to make a decision, adding that Lillard could potentially have played if given more time to decide while rehabbing plantar fasciitis.

Washington Wizards floor general John Wall, back-to-back NBA MVP Stephen Curry and two-time gold-medal winner Chris Paul are all out with injuries. Oklahoma City Thunder star Russell Westbrook also announced on June 10 he was withdrawing his name from Olympic consideration.

Although there are other players on the USA squad with high usage rates such as Lillard who are fully capable of being ball-handlers, the personnel to pull from is becoming rather thin.

The 25-year-old was the chief catalyst for the surprising 2015-16 Blazers, who overcame losing LaMarcus Aldridge to the San Antonio Spurs in free agency to qualify for the playoffs. Lillard averaged 25.1 points, 4.0 rebounds and 6.8 assists per contest.

It's understandable Lillard would want to rest after forging one of the NBA's better backcourts in Portland alongside C.J. McCollum as the Blazers look to ascend higher in the West next season.

Unless he emerges as a legitimate superstar or an NBA champion at a position the Association is loaded with talent at, though, Lillard may not have another chance to suit up for Team USA in his prime.

Competition figures to be as stiff as it's been for the gold medal since the U.S. last failed to capture it in 2004 in Athens, Greece. With Lillard declining to play, the Americans' chances of reaching the top of the podium again take an even bigger hit.

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.