New Orleans Hornets center Tyson Chandler has accepted an invitation to train with the U.S. national team in Las Vegas later this month, shortly before the team departs for the Olympics in China.

"This will allow Tyson and the team to be better prepared in the event that he is needed," USA Basketball managing director Jerry Colangelo said today on USA Basketball's Web site.

Whether the 7-foot-1 Chandler travels to China with the squad has yet to be decided. It may depend on whether starting center Dwight Howard of the Orlando Magic recovers fully from a chest injury. Howard has said he expects to be ready for the Olympics.

During the Las Vegas training session, from July 21-25, Chandler will join Hornets teammate Chris Paul, who is expected to be a back up point guard on the national squad competing in Beijing.

Chandler, 25, was a member of the 2007 USA Team that participated in the 2007 FIBA Americas Championship and finished 10-0 to win gold and qualify the U.S. for the Beijing Olympic Games. Chandler averaged 2.1 points and 3.6 rebounds in 8.6 minutes per game with that squad.

The past NBA season, Chandler's seventh in the league, was his best. He averaged 11.8 points and 11.7 rebounds in helping the Hornets win a franchise-record 56 games and capture the Southwest Division crown.