Hoops

Time to retire? - David Anderson

I think the problem is that with the changes to the S/C rules, fans expected a bunch of Aussie super stars to suddenly abandon Europe and come back to play in the NBL.
So they assume DA is some super-star who is going to dominate the NBL.

He has been a great player for Australia, and I'm happy to see him back in Aus. But chances are he might have come back without the rules changes.
Guys in their prime aren't going to abandon European Careers, just because the NBL money has improved. But hopefully we will continue to see guys like Jawai, Andersen, etc, come back and "finish" their careers here.

We don't KNOW what he's getting paid, so it is completely pointless claiming he isn't worth it.

And yeah, it does take a will for big guys to adapt to the NBL and a new team. They don't get much protection from the refs, and they're often reliant on the playmakers to set them up, and the coaches running plays for them.

Cedric Jackson is the signing I don't understand. I though he was working towards naturalisation in NZ, which would have given him extended value, but now is he just looking past it.

Legend or not over there, here, meh. The OP is 100% correct. He's taken his EU money and well deserved and now he's taking the AU money based on his EU cred. Cream on the top.
Stellar player who now back in the NBL is struggling.

Disgraceful post from the OP. DA is a legend of Australian basketball and his place should not be questioned after a dominant performance in the Olympics. He played NBA for chrissakes. OP is only a legend at pulling his dick on the internet

Andersen fits the Euro & International bball style more than NBA or NBL

I think the OP perhaps also doesn't understand how Andersen made a living in Europe.

He wasn't a superstar there, he didn't dominate, he played for very good teams and performed a specific role for them very well, ie posting up smaller players and stretching bigger players to the perimeter.

The NBL in general is a far less predictable style than top European competitions, and you can see Dave is struggling bit with that, often getting caught out of position defensively and being rushed offensively. He's also struggling with the different type of physicality and higher intensity.

With only eight teams in the NBL playing each other four times, the level of scouting is huge, and you can see teams targeting his defensive weaknesses mercilessly.

Such was the quality of his teams in Europe they could hide him a bit defensively or play him against the right match-ups.

Dave is a product of the team system he is in. It's no surprise that the first couple of games he struggled, then when the team clicked he played well, and now with key pieces out he is struggling a bit again.

I would say make judgement much later in the season once Melbourne have settled and he has found his niche.

It never ceases to amaze me how little many of the posters on here know about basketball.
I agree with whoever said Anderson is the least of their problems. He absolutely is the least. I think there are a few who look well out of sorts and there could be various reasons for that.
Also some players take awhile to adjust to a new system, which could be the case with Anderson. Some players will look fantastic in one system and exceptionally average in another. It's all about game style, coaching communication, the players around them, chemistry and more.

I think writing him off is hilarious and it really is funny that he can play so well at the Olympics and 5 seconds later people are saying he's washed up.

I have a theory that Andersen isn't a good player in Australia.

In the Boomers warm up games before the World Cup and Rio he looked like a fumbling goof ball that couldn't catch, shoot or defend. He went on to be solid in those tournaments and follow up with good seasons in Europe.

Back in the NBL he looks like a lost player again missing contested mid range jumpers and struggling to defend on the other end of the court.

He may be the best Australian player that I have never seen play a good game in Australia.

By the logic from the OP, Adnam should be fine to replace him in the boomers.

a bit premature. Only a couple of mths ago he was at the Olympics where he more than held his own.

Maybe other factors come into why he is not dominating at the moment????

Big deal, hes clearly shown he can't keep up in this league. His defense is abysmal.

One of our best at Rio.

He hasn't performed at the level we'd like, but it's still early in the season. I expect when it comes down to the crunch, Anderson will be in the thick of it. You don't play the way he did at the Olympics unless you're still very much a baller.

The ones who deserve to field some questions right now are Dean, Cedric Jackson and Chris Goulding. If you're talking about underachievers, they're doing the very most of it right now of anyone in the league.

Dean is easily the worst coach in the league, but has the biggest ego. Cedric Jackson has done next-to-nothing for United, and is looking out of place. Goulding has played pretty poorly by his own standards but continues to spark bromances across the Fox Sports commentary team.

I think Dean and Williams should be on the next plane home, and Cedric and Chris need to have a good, long look in the mirror.

Anderson is the least of United's problems.

according to the Herald sun Jackson signed for 2.

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/basketball/melbourne-united-wins-bidding-war-for-nbl-superstar-cedric-jackson/news-story/f7af92da312553caeb15e0ae6d4a507e

united probably a more reliable source tho. So looks like one. Thats not a bad thing. his career trajectory is downwards at this point.

Jackson only signed for this season.

http://www.melbourneutd.com.au/featured-news/cedric-jackson-signs-melbourne/

"surely it's gotten to the point where we can see DA is not the player he once was"

Not the player he was < 3 months ago?

Andersen, Jackson and Goulding all signed two years.

We don't know what they're getting paid, but certainly Jackson and Andersen haven't earned big dollars yet this season

Melbourne can still fix this - by actually firing Dean. Instead of continually staying with a coach that is wasting a talented roster...

Just checked yep 2 years.

http://www.nbl.com.au/featured-news/aussie-star-david-andersen-signs-united/

I stand corrected Zodiac. 2 years it must be although I wouldn't put a decision like giving DA a 3 year deal past Vince.

Someone has got the message to him about this thread

Andersen got 2 years I think, 3 years would've been madness.

I don't know if I would be writing DA off just yet. Most big's that come into the league take time (at least half a season) to adjust, especially from Europe. In saying that, I don't know why Vince Crevelli (who is the worst GM not only in the league but possibly Australian sport) signed DA to a multi year contract. They only offered Kickert a 1 year deal due to his age but they gave DA (who is close to 3 years older) a 3 year deal I think?

Not sure of the link but hes been training with essendon. bombers looking at rookying him.

Thoughts?