The Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) on Friday announced that three players, Liu Zhixuan, Ren Junfei and Zhang Zhenlin, will depart the national team, reducing the number of players in the squad from 20 to 17.

Ren's departure was somewhat expected. Although he made the list of 20, his recovery from a broken finger was too slow for him to participate in any of China's three friendlies against Australia's NBL United. His inability to play ultimately cost him his place on the team.

19-year-old Zhang, China's first player in the NCAA, gave some impressive performances from time to time. However, his experience and decision-making on the court showed that he still has a lot to work on before he can become a qualified member of the national team.

Compared with the other two, Liu's departure was a bit surprising. When he was with Team Red, he did a good job of defending Jordan Clarkson in China's game against the Philippines at the 2018 Sian Games and contributed quite a lot in the final against Iran. However, Liu scored no points in the three games against NBL United, and the national team has more than enough options for guards. His departure was also understandable.

The team flew to Portland on Saturday. After some training sessions there, they will go to Las Vegas to attend the 2019 NBA Summer League. But according to the latest news on the team's on Weibo account, Yi Jianlian will not be playing in the Summer League because of injuries.

The national team will soon be whittled down to 12 players. So, judging by the players' history, performance and coach Li Nan's preferences, eight players should be safe: Yi Jianlian, Zhou Qi, Guo Ailun, Zhou Peng, Wang Zhelin, Zhai Xiaochuan, Zhao Rui and Abudushalamu Abudurexiti. That leaves the remaining nine competing for four spots.

Chen Linjian made the 20-player list for his 3-pointers, but that's probably the only advantage he has. He failed to display his shooting skills in the three friendlies, and one has to wonder if he is losing his touch. 

Wu Qian though is one of the best outside offensive players. But his performance relies on the support from his Zhejiang Golden Bulls teammates. Wu cannot get so many possessions and shooting opportunities on the national team, and when he cannot contribute enough to the team's offense, his weakness in defense will become a liability for China.

Fang Shuo, Zhao Jiwei and Sun Minghui will compete for two spots. A year ago, it was hard to imagine that Zhao Jiwei could miss the national team. His sudden injury hurt not only his body but also his shooting confidence and stability. The good news for Zhao Jiwei is that he has been doing better recently, and he is the most experienced player of the three, which matters a lot for an orchestrator.

Fang and Sun were teammates on Team Red under Li Nan. Fang is the better orchestrator and shooter while Sun has better athleticism and individual offense. Both were given enough time during the three friendlies, and so far, it remains unclear who will win the competition.

Hu Jinqiu and Shen Zijie may compete for one inside spot. Hu was once a popular candidate for the CBA Chinese MVP, and he has more complete skills plus more stable shooting. By contrast, Shen is the better athlete. He moves faster and is comfortable with playing physical games. However, since Abudushalamu can play inside in a small-ball era, there's still a chance that both Hu and Shen may have to leave.

What may surprise a lot of fans is that Ding Yanyuhang is not safe either. The two-time CBA Chinese MVP was China's best offensive forward, but he is held back by injuries. Ding has not played in a match in the past year, and his training was strictly limited. Coach Li Nan is willing to give Ding time to recover, but so far, Ding still has difficulties finishing a lot of moves with his legs.

If Ding cannot play, Korambek Makhan may take his position. The 28-year-old captain of the Xinjiang Flying Tigers has been a reliable defensive choice among all the Chinese forwards. His shooting also continues to improve. Korambek is currently in his best years, and his attitude toward the game has been praised both fans and coaches.

China will play against Miami Heat on July 5 in their first game of the 2019 NBA Summer League.