Los Angeles Clippers point guard Chris Paul has decided to end his stint with USA Basketball and withdraw his name from consideration for the 2016 Olympics, according to a report from Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated.

Paul was part of the USA gold medal teams in 2008 in Beijing and 2012 in London, but he has decided he won't pursue a third gold with the team this summer in Rio, Brazil.

"I feel my body telling me that I could use the time," Paul, who will turn 31 years old in May, told Sports Illustrated.

Paul's removal from the roster pool opens the door for several Team USA hopefuls, including Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard.

Lillard was part of the USA basketball team camps in 2013 and 2014, but had decided to end his relationship with the program earlier this year before a phone conversation with Director of USA Basketball Jerry Colangelo prompted the Blazers' point guard to rejoin the program.

In February, Lillard acknowledged that despite his participation in Team USA camp this summer in Las Vegas it would be a longshot to make the 2016 Olympic Team.

"It would be great to be there (on the Olympic team) this year," he said in February. "But there's a lot of guys that have been there, spent a lot more time with Team USA than I have, so we'll see."

Paul spent more than a decade with Team USA before his decision to withdraw became public this week. However, there is still a strong group of point guards competing for likely three roster spots in Rio. Memphis' Mike Conley, Golden State's Stephen Curry, Cleveland's Kyrie Irving, Washington's John Wall and Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook will join Lillard in the point guard competition this summer.

Westbrook was on the 2012 Olympic Team and Curry and Irving both played for the USA World Cup team in 2014. Lillard's chances for making the Olympic roster this summer are likely still slim, but they are no doubt improved without Paul in the mix.

The final 12-player roster will be chosen this summer. The Olympics run from Aug. 5-21 in Brazil.

--Mike Richman

mrichman@oregonian.com

@mikegrich