Love how Goorj found Ervin at an outdoor tourn in NYC! Key guys need to be flying to Summer league etc and scout these guys properly, for every NBL team. They spend enough in cancelled contracts etc, may as well fly over and do some proper research. Any good agent can mix a decent highlight package together

Just standard practice in the world of basketball. Sometimes they arent good enough, sometimes they dont fit the team, sometimes they are a scapegoat, but whatever the reason when the team isnt playing well enough they are the easiest thing to change.

It has more to do with availability. As better imports become available it makes sense to bring them in. Can't start a season without them in the hope they become available.

It wouldn't happen, but if Kobe or LBJ became available you'd cut any import to get them. It's just business.

Helps also if the team does it's research. How the Kings didn't know Gizzard was a flop is mind boggling. Three NBL failures should have taught them that. Sanders is a hugh improvement.

Can't wait to see Gilder tonight.

I'd be honest and say that they're holding to level of the imports far too high.

Most of that is probably due to the lack of performance by local talent. Not that the national talent level is crap, but must admit that it's been at least 2-3 years since we had the aussie talent performing really well; such as the likes of Cattalini and Mackinnon and Anstey etc. etc.

I think the local talent needs to be the focal point and we need to get Aussie stars back in. When to focus gets taken off of expectations of the imports, then the pressure is gone and they perform much better.

2nd rate Americans filling import spots.
1st rate Australians all playing in Europe.
The NBL will never be as strong as it was 20 years ago. As long as everyone is aware where the NBL fits in the financial scheme of things, you can have few complaints.
If Brett Maher came out of the AIS right now, he'd be going to Europe...

10 in total gone...

Rick Rickert
Bennett Davidson
Arizona Reid
James Maye
Rod Grizzard
TJ Campbell
Craig Winder
Taj McCullough
Gabe Freeman
Troy DeVries

and poor Rickert was cut just because he was an import.

Starks, where is Mitch Creek playing? Where is Jason Cadee playing? Seriously. I cant remember one player ever coming out of the AIS and going to Europe.

It is quite the opposite to what people are thinking. We now have a deep, intense league that is a real test for any import. Even Ira Clark has been up and down.

Australia has never attracted the best of the best, they play in the NBA or for the top European clubs, but outside of that we get good imports, as shown by ok imports leaving here and making a good living in Europe (Darden, Melzer, Low, Hinson, Rickert) the level of guys we get now performed just as well at college as previous guys.

While it would be great to have it like 20 years ago when imports would dominate, you would have to add another 6-8 clubs to dilute the talent to get close to that point.

import sluts haha

I actually read somewhere that increasing the number of imports in the NBL was being considered. Dont know if that is true or just speculation, but it may be the plan if there are 3 more clubs added? Would surprise me as BA are trying to create more pathways for young players.

I think the referees performances have contributed also. Freeman and Winder for example were just getting ludicrous calls made against them in the opening games, yes they did make some poor fouls but the referees made some very poor calls too. in saying that im not saying its all the refs a lot is based on previous comments too, poor scouting etc. but i think the referees have had some type of a contribution to imports not having the impact they should as they have to play conservatively to not get fouled out.