Gordon Hayward, Damian Lillard, Kyle Korver cut from USA team

Gordon Hayward's World Cup hopes ended this weekend, when the Jazz forward was among the United States' final four roster cuts before the tournament begins in Spain next week.The 24-year-old Hayward went unused Friday night in an exhibition game against Puerto Rico before receiving the news. Also cut were Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons, former Utah Jazz guard Kyle Korver and former Weber State point guard Damian Lillard."This was without doubt the most difficult selection process we've gone through," USA Basketball president Jerry Colangelo said in a news release. "I can't stress enough the outstanding effort and commitment that has been given by each finalist. I also want to make it clear that this is not just about talent – each player is incredibly talented and each player offered us unique skills. In the end it was about assembling the best team, selecting guys who we felt would be able to best play the kind of style we envision this team playing."Hayward was an unused substitute in two of the team's last three exhibition games. The forward was used sparingly last week in an exhibition win over the Dominican Republic.The USA next plays an exhibition Tuesday against Slovenia in the Canary Islands. World Cup play will then begin with games Aug. 30 and 31 against Finland and Turkey.Here is the full USA roster:DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans); DeMar DeRozan (Toronto Raptors); Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons); Kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets); Rudy Gay (Sacramento Kings); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers); Mason Plumlee (Brooklyn Nets); Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls); and Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors).— Aaron Falk