With the 2014 FIBA World Cup just days away, Team USA was forced to cut its roster from 16 players to 12 on Friday night. Following a dominant 112-86 exhibition win against Puerto Rico, the tough news was delivered to Damian Lillard, Chandler Parsons, Kyle Korver and Gordon Hayward. These were difficult, yet understandable, decisions.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski's comfort level with Derrick Rose's health and the team's overall scoring and ballhandling on the perimeter allowed him to keep his plethora of big men. This move provides insurance against its key rival, Spain, and its powerful inside game.
While four quality players were cut, none were likely to play a key role. Instead, a player such as DeMar DeRozan, who played well in the practices and in the games, earned a spot on the roster with his overall versatility.
Without Korver, Lillard and Parsons, Team USA still has a collection of outstanding shooters led by the Splash Brothers -- Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors. In fact, Coach K told me earlier this week that this is his best shooting he's ever coached.
While many questions were answered with the selection of the roster, there are still concerns.
There were moments in the first half Friday night when Team USA's defense was hurt by the excellent guard play of international veterans such as J.J. Barea and Carlos Arroyo and, tactically, by Puerto Rico's outstanding spacing. It's an area that must be addressed quickly.
While Team USA is heading to Spain with a different roster than they expected when training camp started in Las Vegas, there is obviously enough talent to win the tournament. However, this team has far less margin for error in attempting to beat Spain, a team playing on home turf and with more than 700 games, collectively, in international experience.
Chemistry and cohesiveness must come quickly and on the fly.
Let's take a closer look at the final Team USA roster and the roles each will play in the upcoming FIBA World Cup.
Derrick Rose
Despite the concerns about lingering issues with his knees, he played with great energy against Puerto Rico. With Team USA expected to breeze through pool play, he can get himself back into playing condition even as a spark off the bench early in the tournament.
While this is a balanced roster filled with talent, the sense I got from Coach K is that Harden will play a key leadership role. He, in fact, already has an Olympic gold medal. More importantly, he is among the three or four best offensive players in the world. His ability to handle and pass the ball so deftly takes the heat off Krzyzewski and his staff's concern about the health of Rose.
Irving has embraced his role as an attacking facilitator in this offense. He looks to be enjoying being surrounded by so much offensive talent. As important, his relentless on-ball pressure sets the tone for Team USA's defense.
Stephen Curry
It's hard to find a player in this upcoming tournament who can break a game open like he can. While there may be a small handful who can shoot like Curry, none has the ability to create his own looks like he can. And don't forget that he averaged 8.5 assists a game last season.
Klay Thompson
Few members of Team USA come into this tournament with a bigger chip on their shoulders. While his shooting ability will, like Curry's, stretch opposing defenses, it's his bulldog defense that Krzyzewski loves. After a season guarding Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Jamal Crawford on a regular basis, he will play an important two-way role on this team.
DeMar DeRozan
With elite athleticism and an ever improving offensive arsenal, DeRozan may become this Swiss Army Knife of this team. His versatility reminds me of Andre Iguodala's on the 2010 World Cup Team.
Gay, who joined the team after Paul George's injury, already has international experience as a member of the 2010 gold medal-winning team. He also has the ability to play the "stretch power forward" position that Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant have occupied on recent USA teams.
Faried may not be the traditional skilled FIBA power forward, but USA's top rival, Spain, doesn't have one, either. Instead, Faried brings his typical relentless hustle, and he provides a big body to protect Anthony Davis. The Manimal is a Coach K favorite.
Anthony Davis
The expectation for Davis is that he turns the 2014 FIBA World Cup into the same coming-out party that 2010 was for Kevin Durant. While Davis was a 20-point scorer in only his second NBA season, it's his defensive presence at the rim that will be most critical for Team USA.
While Drummond is still a work in progress, it was his energy, attitude and immense size that did the trick for him. He has three main roles on this team: Protect the rim, crash the offensive glass and sit patiently on the bench until called on.
Cousins wanted to make this team, and he did. It was hard to overlook his offensive skills, size and mobility. While the interior will be anchored by Anthony Davis, both Cousins and Drummond provide "size insurance."
We wouldn't be talking about Plumlee if Jerry Colangelo and his coaching staff were putting together an All-Star team. Instead, the Brooklyn Nets second-year center has made the roster because of his ability to defend and play with energy. He gives Team USA another big man who may come in handy if they come up against Nene, Tiago Splitter, Jonas Valanciunas and, of course, Marc and Pau Gasol.