Hoops

Illawarra confirm signing of David Andersen

Andersen was visibly just about done in his first season with United, IMO by playing on last season he played on a year too long and although he was a stobie pole on the court he at least got another championship out of it. From memory he only scored double figures twice all last season and one of those was in the season opener against us.

He's done and no doubt his body will pack it in completely next season but if he wants to go on and there is a team out there willing to sign him good luck to him.

Yeah I had wondered about injuries.

It's always possible that he was struggling through last season, and that he got his body right during his layoff late last season. If so, it could mean the GF was more of an indication of where he's at than most of the regular season was.

Andersen is past it, no question.
But he's also a journeyman, nobody's going to hang his singlet, so whilst I'm sure winning an NBL championship was a highlight, its not THE highlight, nor the culmination of his career.
As the saying goes, you're a long time retired, especially from a sport where decent coaching or media jobs are few and far between.

And the thing with Basketball, is that there is a place for guys who are only good for a few minutes.
Sure, you'd rather see the young turks, but this is now the space that teams like Illawarra need to hunt in. Their days of being able to almost match most of the comp, and being assisted by a salary and points cap, are long gone.
They will continue to lose guys like Kay, and will need to replace him with a combination of unproven youth and cheap experience.

Was he carrying niggling injuries at all? We've seen how much a good off season and getting things right worked for Loughton, maybe the same for DA...

Going on one season too long imo.

The speed of the game seems to be moving past him now. He played a very valuable role in the GF, but only had a few good games throughout the regular season and much of the time looked a little off the pace. His dropping stats between 2016 and 2017 for his French club also suggest he's declined rapidly.

I would've rather him go out with a championship trophy in front of 10,000 at Hisense.

I like this signing, especially if it's at a discount price and not blowing the Hawks budget (I really don't think that they'd splash that much cash on an experienced player that won't be able to contribute too much, even if it IS nostalgic!) because he's still got the talent and not being relied on to have to contribute so much would be able to extend his career a bit maybe...

Been a very good player over the years and brings a wealth of experience.
I thinks he's past it, but form a team on a limited budget, if the price is right he's not a bad option for the bench.

As for his personal motivation, he's a professional basket-baller, its what he does. In life terms he's only 37, so there's no great rush to retire. Hopefully has a nice nestegg, but even the NBL minimum is still a living wage. He's got plenty of time later to learn to sell real-estate, or become a beach bum.

Thirroul is closer to Sydney just about than Wollongong and by the way Port Kembla has the best beach in the Illawarra.

Andersen must be a surfer, reckon he'll get a place at Thirroul

Surely Hawks sign Daniel Grida as a DP only.

Ogilvy/Local
Conklin/Andersen
Blanchfield/Conreaad
Import/White/Grida
Jett/Naar

Conklin?

Conklin has signed already and will be announced when he's finished playing in France so he will be starting power forward and centre backup.I don't think Rotnei will be naturalized for next year as i think u have to be here for five years.It looks like Jordair Jett will be at Hawks next season.
Aj/Conklin/Anderson
Conklin/Anderson/Ellis
Cooks i hope/Blanchfield/Coenraad
Clarke i hope/Blanchfield
Jett/Naar/And on the end of the bench White.

I reckon Clarke becomes a local ? and Johnson,Conklin,and Jett are the imports? Andersen salary is less than 110,000 thousand?

Andersen is a good signing at the right price

Would think potentially
Ogilvy/Import
Import/Andersen
Cooks/Coenraad
Blanchfield/Jett
Naar/Martin/White

It wouldn't surprise me to lure him there if the Hawks had tentatively promised Andersen a starting spot say at his natural PF position.

Just couldn't see him prolonging his career for one more year to come off the bench for a team that won't be a contender. This signing would be about pride, United and everyone else think he is done he wants to prove he isn't.

Ogilvy/Johnson (or cheap import)
Andersen/Ellis
Blanchfield/Coenraad
Clarke/White
Jett/Naar/Martin

I could see them putting together a team like that.

Great pick up and good way for Andersen to see out his final season(s). Also personally, means I can support him without supporting United. Bonus.

I can only think Andersen and Jett would be on the cheap? And there should be a good 200,000 left in the salary cap?

It'd be close to Matt Flynn's record of time between professional games with a club, although he played 0 games in between.

Ogilvy/Anderson
Import/Ellis
Blanch/Coneraad
Rotnei/Jett
White/Naar

Provided they have the scope to sign a stud athletic import big, the rotation actually looks pretty good. White will play his usual 4 mins at the start of the 1st and 3rd to set the tone and take some heat off Naar, Jett gives them a spark plug off the bench, and they have nice versatility in the 4/5 spots.

Plus former Crocs import Jordair Jett according to Olgun.

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