BRIAN MAHONEY
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — The U.S. men’s national team cut John Wall, Bradley Beal and Paul Millsap on Monday, a person with knowledge of the details said, leaving the roster at 16 players.
With Paul George lost to a broken right leg, the Americans will have to drop four more players before the World Cup of Basketball starts later this month in Spain.
The Americans made the cuts that had been planned for Saturday but delayed after George’s injury, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the roster moves were to be announced Tuesday. They were first reported by Yahoo Sports.
Remaining in the roster pool are: Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant, Chicago’s Derrick Rose, Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, New Orleans’ Anthony Davis, Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, Houston’s James Harden, Atlanta’s Kyle Korver, Sacramento’s DeMarcus Cousins, Dallas’ Chandler Parsons, Utah’s Gordon Hayward, Toronto’s DeMar DeRozan, Portland’s Damian Lillard, Denver’s Kenneth Faried, Detroit’s Andre Drummond and Brooklyn’s Mason Plumlee.
They will report to Chicago for practices that begin Aug. 14.
Wall and Beal, teammates in Washington, were part of a crowded backcourt that’s particularly deep at point guard, Wall’s position. Millsap, Atlanta’s All-Star forward, was the last player added to the roster of players who were invited to Las Vegas for training camp.
George was injured during an intrasquad exhibition game Friday and the Indiana Pacers’ All-Star forward could miss the 2014-15 season. Coach Mike Krzyzewski doesn’t think the injury will cause players to rethink playing for the national team.
“I really believe that the players will still want to play and will want to serve their country and get better and be part of an experience that only a few get a chance to be a part of,” he said Monday on Sirius XM NBA Radio.
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