LOS ANGELES — Jerry Colangelo said he expects LeBron James to be in New York in August when Team USA holds its training camp and faces France in an exhibition at the Garden as it prepares for the World Championships in Turkey.
Colangelo, the CEO of USA basketball, said before the Lakers’ 102-89 victory over the Celtics in Game 1 of the NBA Finals that he will respect James if his final decision is not to play in the Worlds. But Colangelo said he hopes James “will be around to show support” and even practice with the club.
The Post has learned Nike will hold a Manhattan press conference on Wednesday to announce Team USA’s exhibition match vs. France and a series of events the company will run in conjunction with the team’s training camp, held at John Jay College.
A source said James likely will be there for Nike, even if he doesn’t play in the France exhibition or the Worlds, held Aug. 29 to Sept. 12.
James has said he is leaning toward not playing for Team USA because of his free agency, though his playoff spring was cut well short. James is not alone. Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade are in the same free-agent boat. Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony have said they probably will not play either.
Colangelo is looking at a club that should be vastly different from the Olympic gold-medal winners of 2008. Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni plans to return as an assistant coach despite the free-agent work ahead of him.
“Because of free agency, LeBron, Bosh, Wade in particular, and Kobe [Bryant] with a [knee] injury, Carmelo, who’s getting married, and Howard, who may pass for myriad [of] reasons, it’s possible we’ll have a number of new people,” Colangelo said. “Which is why we have a 31-man roster.”
Knicks free agent forward David Lee will be a strong candidate to make the final World Championship roster, but it could depend on whether he has signed before Team USA initially convenes for a mini-camp in Las Vegas, held July 19-24.
But Colangelo said he feels everyone will be on board in New York when camp runs from Aug. 9-15.
“I do think free agency could complicate the mini-camp, in terms of guys being able to participate,” Colangelo said. “I certainly feel by Aug. 9, everyone will have their business taken care of. That seems logical.”
As for where James will land, Colangelo said it’s an exciting time for LeBron and some big-market teams.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for the players of consequence and the teams who have space to make something happen,” he said. “It’s unusual for New York to have two opportunities. Chicago is a big market. Miami is a big market, even Los Angeles with the Clippers have a lot of space.”
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Kobe Bryant’s reward for winning his fifth championship could be right knee surgery, according to Colangelo.
Colangelo said he’s not counting on Bryant for the World Championships this summer because he has been told surgery is a major option.
“He could very well have surgery after the playoffs,” Colangelo said.
Bryant, who has played with a broken finger much of the season, hardly has practiced in recent weeks, resting his right knee that was drained in April. In the Western Conference Finals victory over Phoenix, Bryant was at his best, averaging 33.7 points, 8.3 assists and 7.2 rebounds.