Team USA is considering Celtics guards Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown, new Warriors guard D’Angelo Russell, and Orlando forward Aaron Gordon among a list of names to replace the stars who have backed out of playing for America in the FIBA World Cup in China this summer.



In the span of the last eight days or so, All-Stars Anthony Davis, James Harden, and Bradley Beal, as well as C.J. McCollum, Eric Gordon and Tobias Harris have all withdrawn from Team USA participation, starting with training camp in Las Vegas at the beginning of August. Sources told The Athletic that Damian Lillard and Kevin Love were on the fence and expected to make their intentions known in the next few days.



The Americans will ultimately take 12 players to the World Cup, which starts for them Sept. 1 in Shanghai, China, against Czech Republic, and those players are expected to include Kemba Walker, Donovan Mitchell and Andre Drummond. On the list as possible replacements for the stars who...