2012 Olympics News: Dwyane Wade Will Not Play For Team USA, Durant, Gordon and Westbrook Among Potential Replacements

USA Basketball has announced that Dwyane Wade will not compete at the 2012 Olympic Games for Team USA as he need surgery on his left knee.

The doctor's prognosis was that he needed surgery immediately, USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo said Thursday afternoon. We knew he was only 50-50 anyway. He's been hurting for quite a while. This is not a shock. We had a conference call just a few days ago with our staff and we talked about different options.

Wade is a big loss for Team USA, he was their leading scorer when they won gold in Beijing in 2008.

Tams USA has 17 players who will report to their training camp in Las Vegas ahead of the London games in late July. Twelve of them will make the team for London, and with the loss of Wade there will be a new look in the backcourt.

Of the guards that remain, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul and Deron Williams are virtual locks as they were on the team in 2008, but that leaves three guard spots open among five players: Kevin Durant, Eric Gordon, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Andre Igoudala.

Durant and Westbrook should get two of the final three spots. Durant is obviously an immense talent on the verge of NBA greatness. He has been the leading scorer for three years running and Team USA would have a lot of explaining to do if they left him behind.

Westbrook is a good fit for the squad as well. He is a high powered scorer and a solid defender, something none of the remaining three guard candidates are. They are either one or the other.

Westbrook can also handle point guard duties. Paul and Williams are probably ahead of him at the point, but his dual threat abilities would be coveted.

The final spot should go to Andre Igoudala. The 76ers swing man is a lock down defender who can contribute all over the place at the offensive end. As this spot could be the final player selected for the team, expect Colangelo as well as coach Mike Krzyzewski to take a versatile player.