Hoops

Kings were keen on Al Harrington, NBL vetoed

Dazz, nobody said anything about ATTENDING NBA games until you did.

Thanks for missing the point, Wookiee.

@Paul - I completely agree, it's the person he is that makes the difference to his game and the impact he's had on the team and league... So you'd liked to think that if HE plays that way, he can understand who else would be a good fit, or at least not suggest douchebags... Just another reason to not slap him in the face when he's found a replacement very quickly...

Best case scenario, he sticks around in Sydney next season and brings someone in with a similar mindset...

Your agenda, Uwe Blab, is also blinded by what Boti said - that the new head honcho DOES have discretion to make the exception... He's saying that he DIDN'T because of his temporary role and wouldn't want to piss the wrong people off...

One game out of the deadline, he could have quite easily... if the fans from other teams on here and OzHoops are anything to go by, I really doubt that there'd be a significant outcry from teams and fans, they'd just be excited that they could get a similar talent to Childress AND the Kings wouldn't be hamstrung...

The potential wins for the league and restoring the Kings to a near on-par team to what they were before JChills injury, while not giving the finger to fans and sponsors and the team in general, significantly outweighs any perceived disadvantage to other teams they still have left to play.

as for "washed up NBA players" from the raving anon, we've seen what sort of quality Childress has provided... They might not know the name of the player before they got here, but the skill level will be enough to make games exciting...

It might not be a large scale, but people I know that wouldn't have watched a game for back when Gaze and Heal were playing, have been talking about the Kings and Childress and turning up to games... Not because they watched him play in the NBA, but because he's an exciting, likeable player...

THAT sort of ex-NBA quality player we should be looking to get here in droves and you'd think that if JChill is the type of player that has been great for the league, he could attract more of them...

I know, rules are rules, and you'd think that if it had happened to the 36ers in the past, same as the Kings with Corin Henry, that someone should have done something by now... They should have and haven't and are paying the price...

It just really sucks that it was just ONE game out from the limit and the chances of getting a player like Harrington in the league otherwise would have been slim to none...

Hopefully a team or the players association or SOMEONE able to take the steps, are taking them to make sure this rule is reviewed and fixed for next season... Even if it's just a proviso that only injured players (undergone test/treatment by league approved doctor) can be replaced at any time...

Cant grow the game, the NBL has already stopped that idea.

The league needs high profile players. Whether that be players with NBA experience or some of the best Aussie talent being piublicised as being faces of the league and hoops in this country.

Unfortunately, Andrew Gaze is still recognized as being a face of the NBL when he has not played for 10 or so years!

We need the teams and the league to pump up a player or two from each team and build up their profiles so they become recognizable and in turn their teams. Faces to names. Names to faces. That would be a good start.

Does anyone know how the system works in terms of the NBL using discretion in making exceptions to the rules ? Does it have to be voted on from reps from other teams or a board.

"Give Childress an ownership stake in exchange for convincing NBA guys to play here. Haha."

best post

Paul said "In theory it is good to stop NZ from adding Penney and Marks (though the points cap wouldn't allow it), but why would you stop a team replacing someone they've lost?"
Great idea the points cap still exists eh.

I'm a bit surprised that the league felt the need to make such a rule. Has there been any instances where an NBL team has brought a gun player in during the last few weeks of the season and its badly skewed the competition?

The Sixers brought Hodge in mid-season I think, so the rule wouldn't have prevented that. I think Perth brought someone in late a few seasons back, but I can't recall it making much difference?

I would have thought bringing in someone that late in the season is just as likely to disrupt a team as help them come home with a wet sail.

Seems like a high risk/ reward strategy to me. I think I'd be happy to allow teams to take the risk if they'd like. Especially since that player can't play in the playoffs.

For injury replacements, I'd say its even less of an issue. It's not like you can plan for your import to have a season ending injury. The league should have just allowed Sydney to make a signing that would have brought some extra entertainment for the final few games.

I know as a Sixers fan I would have enjoyed seeing my team playing next Friday with their season on the line against a suddenly unpredictable Sydney!

The rule on its own is nonsense, but having a separate rule allowing players who've played with other teams in the same season to now be signed is just mind boggling.

The idea that teams would deliberately put a fit player, who's been with the team all season, on injury waivers to sign a "stud" for a few games at the back-end of the season is just stupid. The disruption in that alone would make it untenable for the team, not to mention cost etc.

Childress is legitimately injured. It would have been in the best interests of the NBL to allow Sydney to sign Harrington for the rest of the season. The signing would have generated some interest and allowed Sydney to remain somewhat competitive. As it is, they'll struggle not to get blown out in games now.

I'm amazed that the NBL had any say in who Sydney replaces Childress with at all! What rule allows the NBL to do that?

Seems like excessive interference to me. Its a shame too, because Al Harrington would've been a great import for NBL crowds to watch!

The Kings are gone regardless. The fear is bringing a player like that in may alter how the middle 3 teams make the playoffs. Good to see JChill helping Kings with recruitment for next year !!!!

5-3 in favour? Everyone but Adelaide, Melbourne and Perth voting for?

No respectable doctor will sign off on a fake injury.