Injury-hit Harden out of US basketball team's Olympics squad

By Can Erozden

ANKARA (AA) - Brooklyn Nets guard James Harden reportedly withdrew from the US national basketball team's Olympics squad Wednesday due to a hamstring injury.

"Nets‘ James Harden has withdrawn from Team USA coming off his hamstring injury during the postseason, sources said," NBA insider Shams Charania said on Twitter.

In a separate tweet, Charania said Chicago Bulls All-Star guard Zach LaVine joined the US roster for this summer's Olympics in Tokyo.

In addition, Charania tweeted the US team's Olympics roster.

"Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, Devin Booker, Zach LaVine, Kevin Love, Bam Adebayo, Draymond Green, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton and Jerami Grant," he said.

Another NBA insider, Adrian Wojnarowski, said Tuesday that Phoenix Suns star Chris Paul "declined an invitation to play for Team USA in the Summer Olympics."

The Suns are now playing in the 2021 NBA Conference finals.

They are battling the Los Angeles Clippers in the West finals and Phoenix are leading the series 2-0. The Suns should win game three and four to sweep the Clippers.

If Phoenix reach the finals, there will not be any break for Paul.

The playoffs, which started in May, were scheduled to end on July 22, the NBA confirmed on its website.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics will take place from July 23 to Aug. 8 after they were postponed for one year due to the coronavirus pandemic.