Hoops

Kickert a 36er?

Jonno, that is a good question about the trial. I was going to point you to Boti's article (see below) where he mentions the trial, but it actually isn't very clear.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/sixers-thinking-big-in-roster-search/story-e6frecj3-1226098808140

Boti says players like Mottram, Pero, Vanderjagt, Harris and Knight - all big men - will ensure a lively trial.

But then Clarke is quoted as saying "we'd be hoping to have our (back-up big man) done before the trials".

Boti also says Clarke "hasn't ruled out" going for an import as the backup big and later in the article contends that this means Clarke has "run out of potential Australians to slot beside Balls and DJ".

So its a little confusing, but I think that if we have a guess that the word Clarke actually used in Boti's quote about having the back-up big done is IMPORT, then it might make a bit more sense.

So from what Boti says I think it seems likely that the Sixers are trying to get an import PF/C signed before the camp (ie within about a week).

They may then offer the last slot on the roster to whoever impresses them most in the trials. Given the names Boti has dropped and the way he has suggested that positions 1-3 are covered, you'd have to think it is more likely it will be a big, but I guess its possible some guards will be invited and might get a look in.

Clark, Balls and Weigh would be fantastic but DJ, Balls and Weigh isn't a walk in the park for other teams either. I like Beantowns idea to have a decent big guy come off the bench and cover both DJ and Balls positions when needed.

Are there players from all positions coming to the August trial or just big guys?

I think if we get a decent import big or atleast PF/SF we are covered in the big man rotation, and would like to see us sign the best aussie available regardless of position, including a Mills during the NBA lockout if Clarke can get him, even with our import PG.

But if a Mills/Barlow level isnt coming i just want the best guy available, was glad to read that SEABL players were coming, as who knows we might find our diamond in the rough like a Petrie,im pretty sure a similar trial un earthed Petrie to the NBL.

If we do sign a decent back up Aussie big ala Vanderjagt, Vasiljevic, Conn, Cameron, Mottram, i wouldnt mind seeing the 36ers sign a versatile import who can play anything from SG - PF ( like a Dorsey or Darden, would Chris Williams return to Aus?), at worst grab a versatile guy like Josh Pace or Galen Young out of the NZBL, but obviously would look to get a proven import in leagues equivalent to the NBL in Europe or Darden or Williams who have played NBL and done well.

I'm with Isaac, we need some depth in the frontcourt. KingJames, you mention that a guy like Gruber would only get 10 mins behind Balls, but actually if we get the right big guy, he would be the primary backup for both frontcourt positions, meaning there would be 20 mins a night available.

Its not only backup mins either. We need a guy who can step in and hold his own against opposing starters for stretches when Balls or DJ gets in foul trouble. There were a few games last season that were lost in the first quarter because one of our bigs got into foul trouble and we simply couldn't cover their loss.

Obviously, if we could get a good big guy AND afford to bring in Barlow to start at SG, that'd be great. But I can't see that happening unless we sacrifice the quality of frontcourt player we pick up and that would not be a good idea IMO.

In the absence of a Barlow level SG, I am quite happy with the Herbert/ Ng combo at that position. If our key players (Warren, Balls and Weigh) perform then I think all we need at SG is someone who plays his opponent tough and knocks down the open shot when it presents itself.

I dont think there are too many Aussie 10's available, Neville would be the only one i can think of unless a Baynes or Barlow wants to return from Europe, so id say they will go for an expensive import and a cheap aussie ala Mottram.

I agree with not needing a true C for the import id be going for a guy who can play SF, PF, C (play 5-10 mins at each spot in each game) ala Galen Young, Rossell Ellis type, if needs to be cheap even go for Young himself, or if have $$ go for a better/younger version, needs to be athletic, strong, versatile, plays defense (especially interior) and rebounds, scoring not a huge issue but would be wanting around 10ppg if given around 20-25 mins per game, along with say 8-10 rebounds and some good defense.

50k for K.Johnson and an Aussie 10.
Anyways , K.Johnson wasn't at training , so I'd guess they are not thinkin 'bout him.

Skip, do we have enough room in the salary cap to get to 10 rated players? I dunno, if we do I hope we get some high end guys but I see it more likely being 1 cheap guy(Mottram/Pero) and a decent import.

KB3, who have the Lakers developed? they sign the best players and spend the most. if you aren't the man, they trade you lol.

Beantown is fairly spot on (espesh with the trolling for a reaction part).
Most of the Breakers current roster is filled with local players and a large part of that through their own development academy. NZ went through some woeful seasons while this occurred and bit by bit added experienced Australians around the young core until they were no longer needed. Boucher and Vukona def developed their games further in Australia and I will concede that. The buying players part of the comment referred to the fact that the Sixers need to recruit players to fill spots, ie you guys need a big man, how many of the prospective players are Adelaide locals? Where as the Breakers development program identifies future holes in the squad and gets players who down the road are talented enough to play that role and goes about preparing them ie needed a Centre, so they developed Pledger, Henare was getting old so they have/had Bloxham and Webster waiting in the wings.
Sure not all of them are great individual players but when you add the other pieces of the puzzle (Penney, Vukona and a couple of decent imports) you have a championship team.
As far as I know the local guys in the Sixers are Ng and Creek. Creek has potential plus, but is he going to develop at the Sixers and then reward them with some loyalty by sticking around?
Getting guys young and developing them and rewarding them with long term contracts results in team chemistry and a cheaper roster as you are not competing with anyone for their signature.

Thanks Kent, I remember the huge 40/20 send off game. Had completely forgotten about Spain. But him coming back and signing with the Tigers after the Sixers released him to further his career I do remember. It was a sore spot for a number of years.

Of course, at the time I don't think I had any idea about his relationship with Nicole Provis. Wanting to live in Melbourne with the woman he eventually married probably was fair enough looking back. We all gave him such a hard time - poor b@stard!

I didn't know Bradtke was 'signed' to an NBA team as early as 1990! Pretty sure he never played a game until 1996 though. Basketball Reference.com confirms this. Perhaps its a bit like Newley, where the NBA team holds his rights, but lets him develop further overseas rather than giving him a roster spot?

Are you sure kb3? I can't remember exactly how it went down now. According to his wiki page, Bradtke didn't get to the NBA until '96. He may have been released by the Sixers to have a crack at an NBA roster at the end of the '92 season I guess. Either way, he came back as a Tiger in '93

KingJames, I agree re: the Sixers holding a camp for prospective big men to win the final spot on the roster. Nice idea by Marty and co.

Muzz Buzz, as provocative as Mystro's comment is, the Sixers track record of developing players has been pretty horrendous for a long time. Other than Maher, there is very little to show since the early 90s.

We somehow managed to miss the talents of Newley and Ingles when they were developing right under our noses.

Forman and Holmes never became the players it was hoped they would, though Oscar has finally had a break out season of sorts with Gordie in Wollongong.

You have to go back to guys like Brett Wheeler, who we developed a fair bit, but eventually lost to Goorjian.

Bradtke was partially developed here, but didn't reach his potential until he was poached by the Tigers.

Players like Cattalini, Stiff and Sapwell, we helped reach their potential, but they were largely developed elsewhere.

Other guys who were tried but didn't pan out for us: Chris Blakemore (though he was good for a couple years), Jason Williams, Brad MacKinnon, Tim Brenton, Matt Scalzi, Brad Hill, Jeremiah Trueman.

There really hasn't been much for us to get excited about for a long time.

As for Mystro's comments about developing their talent, yes they have brought some good players along in recent years, but they too spent big to make their program relevant. Guys like CJ, Rondaldson and Forman were brought in to provide a talented core of players to develop their team around.

So its not as stark as Mystro paints (trolling for a reaction IMO) but they have definitely been doing a better job than us for the last decade!

Would the 36ers be wise to go after both Neville and Kickert, and start the season with 1 import, obviously would mean 1 of them would have to play a minor role, ie 10 mins off the bench or we would be like the tigers last year, which im not sure either would do, but worth a shot.

A team of

Johnson/Neville
Ballinger/Kickert
Weigh/Creek
Herbert/Ng
Warren/Crosswell

Neville is probably the best big left and similarish to Schenshcer in game style, so id be offering him around what we offered Schensch.

If Kickert isnt cheap id go for a PF/SF who plays hard nosed defense and crashes the boards, ala Galen Young, who may be a better fit than Kickert for team balance anyway.

Anyway i think our guard/sf rotation looks pretty good, assuming Warren is a decent import, and Johnson and Ballinger are fine as starting C/PF so we should have improved team.

NZ develop their talent, the Sixers buy it.

I'll probably get flamed for this, but isn't Jacob Holmes as good or better than all of those guys trialing for the last spot? Why don't we just resign him?

Don't we still have 19 or 20 points remaining for the final 2 spots??? So we drop 10 on an American leaving us with 9 or 10 left and we are going to have a try out for this position??? Surely we can go out and try and get someone decent? To me that would seem that we just don't have any money left!

luke neville over kickert please