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Top free agents revealed by FOX

Starks had massive trouble remembering plays. Apart from that he was pretty decent

market starks was crap but not dimitri mccamey level crap.

@Kingpodge said: "Markel Starks never gets no love...."

He didn't get much from Fearne either Podge and received some almighty blasts from him :)

@WookieE said: “Add another more top shelf import 4/5 instead of Egwu or Evans Jr (both of whom I think are really solid players so nothing against them, more in that there is a need for a better player in their positions) and that's a top 4 team for sure...

^ anon does have a point though, it seems that Fearne doesn't really work that well with import PGs, so whether he or his game plan might need to change to accommodate that... maybe with a top shelf PG he might be more comfortable to do that...”
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Egwu would be the import to retain WookieE. Egwu is back up for Jawai and is a perfect fit for that role. If Fearne is reappointed I would be very surprised if Egwu is not signed again. Evans was only a short term replacement for Carerra however I agree with your thoughts about him. Although a bit inconsistent and prone to get into foul trouble at times, I think he did his job pretty well considering he has essentially been an SEABL level import. He played some very good games and played a major part in a couple of wins.

Anon #671364, stats don't always tell the full story. I agree with the other anon and Wookie that Fearne doesn't really work all that well with PG's. As last season wore on, Fearne was butting heads with Trice, benching him for mistakes and reducing his minutes in some games. To me, he seems to be playing with far more assuredness this season and I personally think he is playing better than he did last season.

Where Scoochie is concerned, I agree with the other anon that he is a better player than Weeks when given the reigns and I feel Fearne is being just plain stubborn at times by not giving him more minutes. The Taipans do need better at that spot next season and Scoochie does make mistakes but so does Weeks. Scoochie, to his credit, seems to be still putting in and I feel has played pretty well since being benched, which makes it even more annoying he isn't being used more.

Huh? With all due respect, that's the most ridiculous reply to a post I've seen all year...

No-one is magically cherry picking all-time NBL level talent... They're using Cairns' previous imports as an example that if they could afford players at the top of their game instead of getting them as entry level like Scoochie, that the rest of the core of the team isn't that far off making playoffs...

It doesn't have to be EXACTLY those players, think of it more along the lines of Perth coming last and then bringing in Cotton to fill that missing part of the puzzle for them...

"And if you replace Scoochie with a Scottie Wilbekin or Travis Trice and Cairns aren't that far off even right now, "

With all due respect....To me this is a statement without substance.

You can't get cherry pick a top player from the past and notionally insert him into the lineup and magically elevate them to the playoffs.

Firstly, then every team would get the same opportunity which means :

Adelaide get Maher / Mee /Davis / Brooks.
Brisbane get Loggins / Rucker
Melbourne get Gaze / Copeland.
Illawarra get Overton / MVP Ervin / Savs.
NZ get Ced Jackson.
Perth get Grace / Ennis.
Sydney get Luke Cooper and Ben Allen.

The fact that people have to cherry pick goes to show how seldon Cairns finds good imports.

Agree Twink and Angus... Throw Scottie at least back into the team and they're a much more reliable team... Got to be able to consistently be able to put points on the board and take some pressure off the more talented defenders to not have to do it at both ends (similar but in reverse to the Kings and relying so hard on Lisch until a more potent scorer in Randle came on board).

Add another more top shelf import 4/5 instead of Egwu or Evans Jr (both of whom I think are really solid players so nothing against them, more in that there is a need for a better player in their positions) and that's a top 4 team for sure...

^ anon does have a point though, it seems that Fearne doesn't really work that well with import PGs, so whether he or his game plan might need to change to accommodate that... maybe with a top shelf PG he might be more comfortable to do that...

@AngusH said - “And if you replace Scoochie with a Scottie Wilbekin or Travis Trice and Cairns aren't that far off even right now, although you'd still want a better #2 import. Longer odds at a title with Cairns over, say, Perth, but it's hardly outside the realm of possibility, and believe it or not that motivates some guys more than Kevin Duranting your way to a title.”

I agree AngusH. Two good imports in the 1 and 4 spots (with one of those being very good) and the Taipans have a very competitive team. Their season was derailed almost from the beginning when Carrerra was injured before the season started (and again not long after he came back) plus Jawai went down in the first game.

They have been playing undermanned for most of the season when it's all said and done (Weigh went down also after having a good start to the season) and I personally think have done a reasonable to good job to win as many games as they have.

And if my Aunty had balls..............

And if you replace Scoochie with a Scottie Wilbekin or Travis Trice and Cairns aren't that far off even right now, although you'd still want a better #2 import. Longer odds at a title with Cairns over, say, Perth, but it's hardly outside the realm of possibility, and believe it or not that motivates some guys more than Kevin Duranting your way to a title.

DJ will be 30 next season, so this will probably be his final "peak-level" salary of his career for the next 2-3 years. Without knowing him personally, it's hard to say that money wouldn't be a factor in his decision, I think it would be in most of our's.

Anonymous #671209 said: “It's interesting reading some of these comments regarding Cairns. I spoke with McCarron this past weekend and he had nothing but good things to say about Fearne. Where does this 'common knowledge' come from?”

Jordan Gerrans seems to be saying the opposite of what the “common knowledge” poster is saying. This is what Gerrans wrote in the Cairns Post on Saturday - “A sticking point on the contracts of Fearne and star pair Mitch McCarron and Cameron Gliddon is that they share the same agent, with two of the three contracts understood to hinge on the other progressing.”

I read that as meaning that McCarron and Gliddon would look elsewhere if Fearne was NOT reappointed as coach. Both players have done very well under Fearne with both getting significant minutes that they may not necessarily get elsewhere and Gliddon is captain as well.

The “common knowledge” poster may well be correct however if Gliddon and McCarron have had enough of Fearne they are doing a very good job of hiding it.

Time will tell, I guess.

Perth offered Johnson a contract when he returned from Europe
At the time Adelaide were broke and paying for Motum so doubt Adelaide could spend much on him. if Johnson didn't chase the money then I find it hard to believe he will now

Don't want Johnston in Perth.

It's interesting reading some of these comments regarding Cairns. I spoke with McCarron this past weekend and he had nothing but good things to say about Fearne. Where does this 'common knowledge' come from?

Is Jervis a free agent too?

His career regressed after leaving the Wildcats. I think its important to chase money but sometimes I have to think whether a few tens of thousands is worth it.

As if Prather would go back to those feral supporters!

Doubt Bogut but you have to remember there are so few games compared to the nba it would be much easier to get through the season.

Bogut would be big news but he has a tendency to watch more games than he suits up for because he's injured. Boone is the best player Melbourne have and the best big man in the league. Be a risk to make that swap.

Jock Landale to United. Heard it here first

I just don't think DJ would leave the Sixers.

He came back from his Europe stint, at that point could have gone anywhere but still chose the Sixers.

There must be something about the organisation that endears him so.

Bevo has two years left on his contract, don't reckon going anywhere despite the rumours.

If kobe says Bevo is going then he's going

You just dribble, remind me of dazz and hogwash. You both think you know it all.

Hogwash, I'm only as harmless as people want me to be. Obviously I have quite the effect on a certain anon poster here. He/she can't stop talking about me

Wha? Goulding's on $400K a year, McCarron would only be able to command a fraction of that.

Someone on here said Jawai supposedly wants out too but I do find that very hard to believe.

Kay returns to Illawara.. he likes the culture and seems to like bevo.

AJ Ogilvy signed a 3 year deal with the Hawks in 2016. Even if the last year of the deal is a player option I doubt he'd be silly enough to walk away from it given how low his stock would be now.

Signing Ogilvy would ensure Perth miss the finals next year for the first time in ... years.
He shits himself when he's matched on a stronger or physical guy and stays as far away as possible.

Ogilvy would be a decent fit in Perth. He'll either thrive, or play like he always does in Perth. I think he'll thrive.

My take is that he needs to be reminded how big and tough he is. No place like Perth for that

Remember Tokoto was looking like the best import to cross our shores in the past few seasons, but turned out to be a bitch ass. Just say, I called it

Kay returns to Illawara.. he likes the culture and seems to like bevo.

AJ Ogilvy will be released with that money used to sign a better 5 man import

It's understood that bairstow is returning to Brisbane.

There's some bad blood between Bris front office and Mccaron already so I don't see that.

I'm seeing Goulding to Brisbane (where all his family is) and Mccaron to Melbourne.

Gliddon heads to Perth.

What is Mc Carron a 1 or 2?

Would he be able to run the show starting at point?

But he can't shoot well enough for the 2.

Isn't Kickert a free agent?

Bairstow, Wesley, Drmic, Vukona etc should be on that list ahead of the likes of Te Rangi.

It's time for damo to take a back seat, need to stop saying that. He isn't going to be around forever.

New blood, new Aussie core so we can transition when they retire.

Perth should spend more on Aussie born than imports next season to sustain success.

Can see cotton staying and hopefully naturalized.

I certainly wouldn't say no to a three man guard rotation of Damian Martin, Cameron Gliddon and Mitch Norton :)

Damo might be looking his age but anyone who thinks he is not capable of starting minutes has a short memory for how lost the Wildcats look without him out there.

Lol, Te Rangi.

Did Lemanis compile this list?

^
Just a guess as usual in here.

McCarron already told Cairns he'll be moving south if Fearne stays and I've heard the color purple really suits him!