Hoops

Any Kings Rumours?

Let's hope the Board members don't ruin another season.

This is the huge thing really, I think there's been plenty of issues behind the scene that really only came to the public light in 13/14 but have always been there... They need to improve the culture and management off court as that could help in retaining key players, if you take teams like Perth and NZ as examples of keeping local talent for longer when they probably could have gotten more money elsewhere...

Plus it's been difficult when a lot of our top players have disappeared... Imagine if we'd had a proper coach that developed talent (management decision) and managed to hold on to both Bose and Jules... That's three legit local starters along with Madgen, Cadee a legit PG back up behind an import PG and if Bose continued on his path, free up that hard to fill SF starting role to have an import PF to then strengthen the bench with Garlepp and Brandt this season... Adding a quality piece to the team each season instead of having to replace starter/all-star talent and weakening our bench each season would improve the team exponentially and we'd be in a much better place than we are now...

I'm not sure if that could have been fixed with better management or just throwing the right money at the right players (Khazzouh signed a big 6yr deal in Lebanon, so I doubt we could have competed with that, and Bose would have to be being paid a shitload to put up with all that cold, surely?)

Either way, I think we've got a decent core of Madgen, Cadee, Garlepp, (Ellis if he can improve his outside shooting consistency) and Brandt, all signed for at least two seasons... If this was a couple of season ago when we had All-NBL level quality guy in the middle, that's a very solid base to grow from... But it's not, we're at least two years behind where we SHOULD be, so looks like a bit of finger crossing this pre-season :)

It's a write-off of a season I think anyway and the Kings could use any publicity right about now.

I agree about the publicity for sure, but there are some good things happening at the Kings this season, Cadee is back, Brandt is on board... Hopefully a full pre-season for Madgen (injury free *crosses fingers*) and Ellis (games under belt/conditioning) will step them up from last season...

It really comes down to the two imports, one hopefully being a marquee, and if we can get an upgrade with our back up SF then it's not all done and dusted before the season starts...

Yeah, they're really pushing the charity aspect of it... I had a similar thought to that considering how we missed out on him being at the top of his game for most of the first half of last season...

Hopefully they don't end up taking it too seriously/physical...

Heard the commentators say during the sino challenge that the Kings are interested in Angus Brandt.

Hasnt AJ already announced he would not be returning?

Things MIGHT have changed with a new coach and who knows what sort of offers from OS, but with an Irish passport and talking to him after the season ended where he said he probably wouldn't be back (and with it initially only a one season deal to boost his profile for OS offers anyways) I really doubt that AJ will be back... Who knows what sort of relationship he has with Cotter though, we might be able to sneak another season out of him if he is guaranteed that he'll be utilised properly and actually DO boost his profile not like what the second half of last season would have done...

Getting AJ back WOULD solve a few problems though...