Hoops

Player Pool for 2 more teams

Thank you Bear, my thoughts are the same. Well said.

Back up point guard at a contender but third string at Milwaukee. Okay

Delly might not get chased by title teams but saying he will be out of the NBA in 2 years time is it a bit out there. He's only two years removed from the hype of that Cavs title team and no matter what happens the next couple of years in Milwaukee NBA execs will certainly still remember that and hope he can rekindle that form with their team. He'll still be in the NBA for another 4-5 years.

12 players per team minus 3 imports and 1 next star program invitee.

Thats 16 additional players the two extra teams have to find, it's not that hard to find 8 players is it?

Delly's got 2 years left on his NBA contract plus whoever signs him after that. Be a long time before we see Delly in the NBL.

Hooley, Barlow,Moller are free next year out of Melbourne.

Sobey who is originally from Victoria, the possibility of Mitch Creek too being from Vic and Majok Deng will be a FA too next year. That's the name ones from the Sixers.

others that also might be available from Perth I think Brandt & Martin will be FA's possibly Wagstaff too, Cairns FA's will be Jawai & Loughton, Brisbane have a team option next season on Bairstow, Gibson will be available, Sydney will have Randle, Lisch, Newley, Illawarra will have Ogilvy available, United Ware & Boone and Pledger likely, NZ will have Wesley & Majok Majok.

The new owner of SE Melbourne has deep pockets and wouldn't be coming in to just make up numbers.

I expect them to have a lot of cash to play with and to be targeting 3 stud imports, a few good level Aussies in Europe (Motum etc), anyone fringe NBA that may miss out plus the other names above to round out roster. Expect them also to hit the free agent market (not sure what big names would be on it)

Southern Huskies could either struggle if they come in after SE Melbourne have signed up available big names and with (presumably) a smaller budget, or may have advantage of approaching existing NBL players who will be out of contract by then due to longer lead time.

@Very Old, you have a point, however there are some great stories of NBL players who got a chance and have really made the most of it, becoming starters or very important players for their NBL teams.

I see any properly funded and well structured expansion as an opportunity, not something negative at all.

But I say again, it has to be done right, I think we all agree on that...

Teys, Doyle, Hire - are examples where its harder to get out than to stay in, their teams are not prepared to take a chance on a new chum rocking the boat too much with the established core, predictability on , off and around the court is the most important aspect.

When building a new team, that tends to go out the window in the first 2 seasons. The problem won't be to find those players who are 85% READY FOR nbl it will be successfully picking the 5% of those 85% players who will go on to be starting 5 NBL players. ( creek, Darryl Pearce, David Stiff, Smith twins etc )

players from New Zealand and asia

Dan Trist looks like fair example of a bloke wanting to play in Australia but had to spend a few years over seas. The talent is there just got be encouraged to stick at it.

It may help reduce ballers defecting to AFL.

The issue can be looked at two ways, either we don't have the depth in this country or we don't allow our talent opportunity to come back and play here, rather chase opportunity overseas first.

Of course we have the talent, just add up how many CofE kids graduate every year, how many come out of the collegiate system in the USA and Canada, how many males and females actually play this game at the highest junior levels we can provide them and how many are seen as overseas talents before we ever get to enjoy seeing them in their home country.

You are looking at the glass have empty my friend!

Build it and they will come, in droves...