The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of decisions to make this summer, but chief among them will be what to do with restricted free agent guard Austin Reaves.
Reaves really came on for the Lakers during their 2023 postseason run, going from undrafted to starting and the team’s third-best player after LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Both parties have made it clear that they want to continue their partnership, with the Lakers reportedly being willing to match any offer sheet he signs up to his max of $100 million.
While that gets sorted out, it looks like Reaves will be busy representing his country as he has made Team USA’s roster for the FIBA World Cup this summer, via Shams Charania of The Athletic:
Team USA’s roster for the upcoming FIBA World Cup in the Philippines is beginning to take shape, and it will include at least two rising NBA stars making their American national team debut.
Minnesota Timberwolves All-Star Anthony Edwards, Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves and Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis have committed to play for Team USA, league sources told The Athletic.
This is a cool honor for Reaves, who just two years ago was unsure if he would even make it as an NBA player. Earlier this season, there was some talks about Reaves potentially playing for Germany but this obviously was an opportunity the Arkansas native could not pass up.
Reaves was one of the breakout stars in the NBA this postseason, and one person’s eye he seemed to have caught was Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr as he will be coaching Team USA in the FIBA World Cup. He, along with USA Basketball managing director Grant Hill and general manager Sean Ford, are selecting the roster that reportedly includes Reaves, Edwards, Portis, Tyrese Haliburton and Mikal Bridges so far.
Team USA starts training camp Aug. 3 in Las Vegas before playing an exhibition game on Aug. 7 against Puerto Rico. They then begin a two-week trip to Spain and the United Emirates before beginning World Cup play Aug. 26 against New Zealand.
Schroder confirms he’s playing for Germany
There’s a chance Reaves will eventually matchup with one of his Lakers teammates during the FIBA World Cup as Dennis Schroder confirmed after the season that he’s planning on playing for Germany.
Schroder and Reaves were two of the more competitive players on the Lakers roster last season, so it would definitely be fun to see them go head-to-head on the national stage representing their countries.
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