I really don't think the NBL suffers from being 'too deep'. Adelaides roster is fairly deep, granted... but when you start looking at Townsville this year, Sydney.. I mean these teams need all the help they can get.

I just think less depth means lower playing standard. You could have Michael Jordan on your team but if you have to sub him off 10-15 minutes a game for Scott Christopherson your going to have a hard time

There are decent players that can't make NBL rosters and some playing in Europe instead of getting a reduced role... Simply we haven't got enough teams and if we had 10 and this question came up I'd like to see a stud import, but for now I'm happy with 10 deep teams

It's clearly the deepest it's ever been, and that's simply because there are the fewest clubs.

There is easily scope for some more teams, and I actually think the spectacle would improve as teams wouldnt be able to play with the same intensity for 40mins, and the top players would be able to shine more with a bigger gap between the top and bottom players in each team's rotation.

Guys like Ebi Ere, Donta Smith, Ty McKee, EJ Rowland and Diamon Simpson are now very good imports in good European comps, they can make a lot of money. While there is still good money in Europe it's more about finding the next versions of those guys.

At the moment a lot of teams have just one gun import (it's mostly been that way since around 2000), but with more clubs there is more money for good players so you are more likely to see two really good imports or some of the Aussie guys coming back.

with a lot of European Teams not paying Imports, the NBL will become a stronger option for guys leaving College over the next couple of years as long as teams like Townsville can find some financial stability.

I like the idea of paying bench guys less i.e. not getting top dollar guys for yor second unit.

These guys aren't training 40hrs a week and im sure they could fit in a part timejob (20 hours a week) during the season to supplement their income.

And during the off-season they could work more hours.

NZ have done it well...those guys work for their NZNBL teams in the offseason for bloody good money considering its only a 4 month season. That gives guys like Mika, Webster,Te Rangi and Trueman the chance to take a paycut for the Breakers.

I agree 100%, too deep these days.

I'd say the average NBL team would currently break down their minutes something like this:

Starting C: 25 mpg
Starting PF: 30
Starting SF: 20
Starting SG: 25
Starting PG: 30

Bench 6: 25 mpg
Bench 7: 20
Bench 8: 10
Bench 9: 10
Bench 10: 5


When we had 48 minute games the best 3-4 players all logged 40 minutes anyway, some averaged 45. Coaches now try to rotate too much and sometimes its because number 8 is nearly as talented as number 3 in the rotation, but also because the game is shorter.

If i were a GM, i think the minutes should look more like below, and spend nothing on number 7-10 in the roster.

Starting C: 32 mpg
Starting PF: 36
Starting SF: 32
Starting SG: 36
Starting PG: 36

Bench 6: 18 mpg
Bench 7: 10
Bench 8: Garbage minutes
Bench 9: Garbage minutes
Bench 10: Garbage minutes

Yes there is a risk if there's an injury, but one starter missing wouldn't be the end of the world, the advantage is the percentage of time on the floor with much more talented players outweighs the risk.

A lot of imports coming here would love to play the whole game.

In fact, they can get annoyed if they get given too much rest.

They come from the College System where they play weekends and weekdays including travel and they get worked really hard even in in-season practices.

So for a lot of them, mostly playing 1 game each weekend is childs play. Probably not even in HS did they see such a spread out schedule.

Game has changed now, tough to play more than low 30s minutes wise. Average in good comps and internationally is about 28. But give or take you could still go something like below with an increase in teams with an 8-man main roster.

25/5
30/20
25/15
25/20
30/5