An early projection of Team USA's 12-man Olympic roster

There's still another NBA season between now and the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, but evaluations are already underway.

Managing director Jerry Colangelo gathered 34 of the best American players in Las Vegas for a minicamp this week, and he and his staff will use the opportunity to get a sneak peak at the talent before them as they embark on the impossible task of settling on a 12-man roster.

"It's going to be very tough," Colangelo admitted in an interview with ESPN's Marc Stein.

Here's our attempt at selecting a dozen players to represent Team USA at the Olympics.

Locks: Kevin Durant, Anthony Davis, LeBron James

No country, not even the mighty Spaniards with the Gasol brothers, can hold a candle to Team USA's vaunted frontline. The Americans could deploy the top three players in the world at their starting forward spots.

Anchoring the middle will be Davis, who dominated the 2014 FIBA World Cup to the tune of 12.3 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks in just 19.8 minutes per game. Davis is a terrifying pick-and-roll target, an explosive transition treat, a developing 3-point shooter, and an all-consuming rim-protector.

Lining up at power forward will be another near 7-footer in Durant. The self-professed "Best Player" led the NBA in scoring for five-straight seasons before succumbing to a foot injury in 2014-15. Assuming a full recovery, Durant has the starting power forward slot on lock.

Finally, the actual best player alive in James has an open invitation if he chooses to play. He's a four-time MVP and two-time champion. Nothing more needs to be said.

Near-locks: Stephen Curry, James Harden, Carmelo Anthony

The international 3-point line is, on average, a foot-and-a-half shorter than the NBA line. So just imagine the kind of damage Curry could unleash when he runs high pick-and-roll with shooters on the wings and Davis rolling to the basket. The reigning MVP will almost assuredly secure the starting point guard role.

Lining up at shooting guard will be the MVP runner-up in Harden. At the World Cup, Harden led all players in scoring with 14.2 points per contest. He can score from anywhere on the court and draws fouls at a superhuman rate.

Lastly, if Anthony decides to suit up, he's an excellent option to reprise his duties as the sixth man, a role he played in 2012. Feasting on a steady diet of open spot-up attempts against bench players, Anthony easily torched his opposition.

Rotation pieces: Chris Paul, Kawhi Leonard, Klay Thompson

Backing up Curry will be the battle-tested Paul, who has two gold medals to his name. He's essentially the perfect point guard: a tenacious on-ball defender, lethal shooter, crafty finisher, and dutiful ball-handler.

Reprising Andre Iguodala's role of interchangeable defender is the Defensive Player of the Year in Leonard. He can reliably check four positions at the international level and serve as a designated stopper to fill in for Harden or Curry if defense becomes an issue.

Thompson serves as a premier 3-and-D wing. His chemistry with Curry is well-noted, and he's liable to catch fire at any moment from behind the arc.

Deep bench: Russell Westbrook, Paul George, DeMarcus Cousins

The deep bench pieces will provide depth at each position. Westbrook fits in perfectly with coach Mike Krzyzewski's fast-break style of offense, George shifts interchangeably between the perimeter and the frontcourt, and Cousins adds depth at center and provides an unstoppable option in the low post.

Replacements: Blake Griffin, Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving

The squad rolls deep for Team USA. If veterans like James, Anthony, and Paul sit out, overqualified replacements in Griffin, Hayward, and Irving lay in wait.

Final Roster