While Colangelo didn't say who is in the running for the opening, it's clear that players who were previously being considered for the Select team could now be in the mix for Team USA. The Select team is scheduled to train with Team USA in Las Vegas from July 6 to 11, and will play against it leading up to five exhibition games that run through late July and finish in Spain.

There is a dearth of big men, though, with the Griffin, Love, Bosh and Chandler the only members of the team's front court who are expected to be available. That could lead to improved chances for Sacramento's second-year center, DeMarcus Cousins, who averaged 18.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game this season and was already being looked at for the Select team.

"I'm really looking at the [Select] team we bring in to scrimmage our players, to a large degree, to be the makeup of who represents us in 2014 in Spain in the Worlds," Colangelo said. "And his name was on that list to talk about, consider etc. Certainly he would be a candidate.