Clippers’ Jordan among hopefuls that could lose out if Bryant gets Olympic spot

If Kobe Bryant makes one final run at Olympic glory, it would be a snugly story line for everybody associated with USA Basketball, with one possible exception.

The player whose roster spot the aging Lakers star would take might not so readily embrace the concept.

Bryant’s recent acknowledgment he would like to play in Rio de Janeiro next summer if he’s physically able to do so could put Clippers center DeAndre Jordan in an awkward position, because the Clippers center is one of the hopefuls vying for the final 12-man roster.

“I mean, it’s Kobe Bryant,” Jordan said Thursday when asked about the possibility of Bryant taking the place of a younger player. “You’re talking about Kobe.”

Does that mean Jordan would be OK with Bryant taking his spot?

“I mean, obviously not, but at the end of the day he’s a great Hall of Fame player and he’ll help the team out,” Jordan said. “I’m also 27 and Kobe’s 37, 38, so I mean hopefully I have time.”

Clippers point guard Chris Paul and forward Blake Griffin are considered near-locks to make a team with no shortage of quality candidates. But Jerry Colangelo, chairman of USA Basketball, has said he would be open to Bryant’s participation even though the two-time gold medalist will turn 38 in August and has already missed two games this season because of back soreness.

“That’s a tough one,” Clippers Coach Doc Rivers said of Bryant’s possible inclusion. “I mean, Kobe is Kobe. He deserves almost everything, you know what I mean? But do you save that one spot for him or do you put the 12 best players and the 12 who best fit?”

Colangelo has a history of sentimentality, having included a 35-year-old Jason Kidd on Team USA in 2008. Bryant’s durability would be a major concern considering he has played 47 of a possible 172 games the last two-plus seasons because of a slew of injuries.

Putting Bryant on the team could mean leaving off Jordan or another hopeful such as Kyrie Irving, John Wall, Jimmy Butler, Bradley Beal, Draymond Green, DeMar DeRozan, Gordon Hayward, Chandler Parsons, Rudy Gay, Andre Iguodala, Kenneth Faried, LaMarcus Aldridge or Andre Drummond.

Rivers noted Colangelo has prioritized selecting the 12 players who best fit together over merely assembling the 12 best players.

“I think the mistake we made in the past, when the NBA team was losing, they were picking an All-Star team,” Rivers said. “That didn’t fit and that didn’t work. I love what they’re doing now. They’re trying to find guys who fit, who want to be there, who want to play with the team.”

But wouldn’t Rivers feel bad if Bryant made the team over Jordan because he was considered a better fit?

“I would but he’s young,” River said of Jordan, “so there will be more opportunities.”

Quick to help

Paul logged his 7,000th career assist in his 706th NBA game Wednesday against Dallas, becoming the fourth-fastest player in league history to reach that mark. John Stockton (625 games), Magic Johnson (637) and Oscar Robertson (667) were the only players to get there faster.

ben.bolch@latimes.com

Twitter: @latbbolch