AUSTRALIAN Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis will reach out to guard Patty Mills in the hope the NBA star will play in next week’s clash with New Zealand at Rod Laver Arena.

Mills was not picked for the Olympic qualifying series against the Tall Blacks after not making himself available for the mandatory European lead-in tour, which was just wrapped up.

But there is now a vacancy in the 12-man squad following a knee injury to Utah Jazz rising star Dante Exum, which has been confirmed as a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.

“We will always do what is best and right for the team, so we’ll go through that process,” Lemanis said on Friday morning.

“The reality is at the moment we have 11 guys and we’re allowed to play with 12.

“We need to assess if that is in our best interest to bring someone else in.

“Patty is a logical fit for us given he knows the Boomers and he is obviously a very good player.”

The Boomers arrived in Melbourne on Friday morning after flying home from Europe.

Lemanis said he is yet to speak to the San Antonio Spurs star, who is currently in the US.

“We have reached out to him, but we haven’t been able to connect as yet,” he said.

“It has been a 30-hour flight, so it has been difficult communicating.

“So once we finish up here, we will see what happens.”

Boomers star big man Andrew Bogut said he hoped Mills answers the call.

“He could come in and help the team — he is an NBA calibre player that has had a great run the past couple of years,” Bogut said.

“We’d be silly not to inquire and see what he can do.”

The Boomers will not train together in Melbourne until Tuesday, which gives Mills time to join the squad if he agrees to.

Australia will meet New Zealand in Melbourne next Saturday night.