Wade, Allen Want to Be Paid to Play in Olympics Several N.B.A. players have wandered into territory that won't go over well with a patriotic public: Ray Allen of the Celtics and Dwyane Wade of the Heat have decided to promote the cause that N.B.A. players should be paid to play in the Olympics and Allen's teammate Rajon Rondo wants nothing to do with the Games, period. Allen told Foxsports.com in an interview that, "Everybody says, "Play for your country." But [N.B.A. players are] commodities, your businesses. You think about it, you do camps in the summer, you have various opportunities to make money. When you go overseas and play basketball, you lose those opportunities, what you may make... If I'm an accountant and I get outsourced by my firm, I'm going to make some money somewhere else. Wade echoed that sentiment, according to Michael Wallace of ESPN.com, saying on Wednesday: "It's a lot of things you do for the Olympics - a lot of jerseys you sell. We play the whole summer. I do think guys should be compensated. Just like I think college players should be compensated as well. Unfortunately, it's not there. But I think it should be something, you know, there for it. That sound you hear is USA Basketball officials wheezing. Rondo, according to FoxSports.com, objects to the Olympics because, "I love my summers." It is worth remembering that Rondo, a finalist for the 2010 world championships team, came home in the middle of the trip because he said he was homesick. Their points aren't likely to be greeted with much sympathy considering their N.B.A. salaries (Wade makes roughly $14 million a season) and the fact that getting paid a little more won't make them any less tired from Olympic participation. Olympians do get a stipend for winning a medal - which is $25,000 for a gold, in any sport - and N.B.A. players are put up in rather lavish accommodations, compared to the rest of the athletes. Wade's Heat teammate LeBron James said he didn't agree with Wade and enjoys playing for Team USA. "I love representing my country, man," James told ESPN.com. I've done it since 2004 and I'm looking forward to doing it in London. As far as [pay], I don't know, man. I'm happy to be a part of the team, to be selected again. Keep in mind that the mission of the 2008 Olympic team was not only winning back the gold medal, but also repairing the damage to the Dream Team image done by the 2004 team and some world championship teams that treated the opportunity to play for the country as a joyless experience. The 2008 team worked hard at projecting a better image and won the gold in impressive fashion. Wade was a member of that team. Allen was not - he was on the 2000 team that won a gold in Sydney - and at 37 isn't likely to have an invitation to turn down this year.