The Associated Press

Sacramento's Peja Stojakovic logged more than 3,200 minutes of play during the NBA regular season, third-most in the league. Minnesota's Kevin Garnett, the league MVP, had the fourth-most minutes. To the dismay of their team owners, neither will get much rest this summer; both will participate in the Olympics.

"It's too much," Kings owner Joe Maloof said. "The players need time to rest."

Some NBA owners say players should put patriotism aside and show more loyalty to the person signing their paycheck.

"We are putting our most valuable players at risk, with the possibility of having to pay their salaries even if they are unable to perform, and cheating our fans who make investments in our teams and products," Mavericks owner Mark Cuban (above) said in an e-mail interview with Bloomberg News Service.

Stojakovic isn't the only NBA player from outside the U.S. who will participate in the Olympics, which are scheduled for Aug. 13-29. San Antonio's Manu Ginobili will play for Argentina, Houston's Yao Ming for China, Utah's Carlos Arroyo for Puerto Rico and Memphis's Pau Gasol for Spain. Houston's Yao Ming, who will play for China, took a different point of view.

"Obviously, there are times when I wish I could have more time off in order to rest my body," Yao said. "However, I view playing on the Chinese national team as a great honor, and it is worth the sacrifice."

Besides Garnett, the U.S. roster has some of the NBA's best - for now, anyway. The team includes two-time MVP Tim Duncan of the Spurs and Jermaine O'Neal of the Pacers. Toronto's Vince Carter, who battled injuries all season, declined an invitation to play for the U.S., and Seattle's Ray Allen, New Jersey's Jason Kidd and the Lakers' Karl Malone, 40, might also relinquish their spots.

Shaquille O'Neal, who won Olympic gold in 1996, said his participation in the Games hinges on how far the Lakers advance in the playoffs, and teammate Kobe Bryant, who has been charged with the sexual assault, said he probably will skip the Olympics because of his legal concerns.