Another Blaze player! (Not that he did much with them.)

Pretty certain we only have 13 points left, so If they have any intention to get an import, he would have to be 3 or less.

He would be a solid player. But you would only play him if the big guys are in foul trouble.

Massingale and Pero V unrated - probably 13points.

Yeah I'm a big fan of Pero, i think he would be a good fit, and a top bloke who's always full of energy...

I was chatting to Mitch Creek on Saturday night about him, and it seems he gets along with all the boys too, so thats a bonus...

Do we need a back up bigman given we have DJ, Luke, Petire and Weigh. We only play one game a week on average so why not just get a young big.

We'd have some level heads in Schenscher and Petrie, and youth elsewhere, so whoever they get is a wildcard, IMO.

I assume he can still dunk pretty hard? If so, I feel sorry for whichever development players he got on against in garbage time.

If Pero keeps his head straight he could be useful.

Also, previous post says what now?

It's a pretty good mix you'd think age wise.
I'll put in the ages of Pero and CJ Massingale, if the rumours are wrong, then so be it.

Here's the ages (as of 31/12/2012)

C Shenscher (30)/Pero (34)
F Johnson (24)/Petrie (27)
F Weigh (25)/Creek (20)
G Gibson (26)/CJ Massingale (30)
G Cadee (21)/Crosswell (31)

Rahiem Brown, would be a great wild card. Has plenty of international experience. I also hear he will be a citizen soon.

How close is CJ to becoming an Aussie? I'm sure Ive been hearing his name for 7 or 8 years now. Has he started the process?

We have two import spots free - who cares about naturalisation!

Always thinking about the future!

Pero Vasiljevic confirmed as an option for the 36ers:

"We have three starting-quality bigs and we're looking for a fourth player," he said.

Clarke said North playing-coach and NBL journeyman Pero Vasiljevic was amid the contenders.

"He's a great guy, he's South Australian and he desperately wants to be a 36er," Clarke said.

get him!!!!!

He said "undersize wing" in the article I read which doesn't suggest a tall 2/3 to me. Have you seen a different comment?

Anon earlier that was talking about Brown playing in S$&t leagues, firstly check the teams he has played for and secondly, the NBL is such a 'tough' league in the scale of world wide leagues isn't it. Regardless of if you think he would suit the sixers or not, bagging someone on here is cowardly.

Anon earlier that was talking about Brown playing in S$&t leagues, firstly check the teams he has played for and secondly, the NBL is such a 'tough' league in the scale of world wide leagues isn't it.

--------------------------------------------------

The only league he has played in comparable to the NBL was nine years ago in Italy, where he averaged 9p and 5r. Other leagues he has played in are Argentina, Portugal, Kazakhstan, Philippines, China, New Zealand (14p and 7r) and Egypt.

But I agree, he shouldnt be bagged out, especially given we are taking about the 10th spot on the 36ers' roster not a starring role.

Exactly Paul, but that said, I don't know to many even 6th men in the NBL that would get import jobs in any of those countries. Who is the best Aussie player at the moment in the NBL? Would they get an import job? Not a criticism, just a question to put the league in perspective.

That's a good question. There will probably be five or six imports coming off the bench in the NBL this season who could get jobs in some or all those leagues (except Italy).

Many NBL players would be good enough to be imports in Kazakhstan, Egypt and New Zealand. Brown's last stint was in NZ producing 14 and 7 which is a similar level to Jeremiah Trueman last season.

Paul, if 'many' of the current NBL players are good enough to be imports in those leagues mentioned, why aren't they? Those leagues pay way more for imports than simple NBL wages that are taxed high and include other expenses as all part of the cap? I think that there would be very limited amounts of players in the NBL that would pick up import spots.

Secondly Paul, what is your experience with these other leagues? are you a sports agent?

if 'many' of the current NBL players are good enough to be imports in those leagues mentioned, why aren't they?

Secondly Paul, what is your experience with these other leagues? are you a sports agent?

...And in the situation that NZBL is more lucrative for the less talented ANBL players - they do go over there and play anyway. Several ANBL players play in the NZBL as well, because it's during our offseason.

KET, the money paid in thos countries far surpasses that paid in the NBL. playeers that want to make some money go their, guys that can't pull those types of contracts don't.

Are you saying that someone who is on $80k-100k here (gross so more like $65k)would turn down a 6 month contract at 250K?

Please educate me then with a list of current NBL players (not imports) that can get gigs there.

???, I think paul writes now and then for FIBA and seems to follow international leagues a lot more closely than almost anyone else posting here.

Brown's last stint was in NZ producing 14 and 7 which is a similar level to Jeremiah Trueman last season.

You're asking for a list of players that can get a gig there - by offer? That would be like saying LeBron James couldn't pull an ANBL contract because he hasn't been offered a contract from an ANBL team. The mere lack of an offer is probably more because it's unlikely an ANBL player would want to actually play there.

By comparison? We've never seen an Aussie NBL club play against a team from Egypt or Kazakhstan. Do we need to see the Los Angeles Lakers v Adelaide 36ers to know who would be better?

By player movement? This is the only way to (sort of) prove the bleeding obvious that any intelligent hoopster would know.


Anatoly Bose signed Team Astana in the Kazakh National League. Is Bose the best Aussie from last season's NBL? Is he the only one visibly superior and able to get a contract?

Is Bose significantly superior (or superior at all) to Thomas Abercrombie? To Daniel Johnson? Cameron Tragardh?

What about Aussie Boomer Damien Martin? Olympians Crawford and Gibson? Worthington who has played in Germany and Serbia (superior European leagues), what about Julian Khazzouh (Netherlands, Israel)

We've got several Aussie players who have played in far better European leagues. You think they wouldn't be able to compete in a Kazakh or Egyptian league?

Do you think because Brett Maher spent his career playing for the Adelaide 36ers (with a small off-season stint in Turkey), that he wasn't good enough to play in Europe for most of his career instead?

We've seen historically Australian players return home in the middle of Euro stints;

Martin Cattalini played with the Adelaide 36ers in the middle of stint in Spain. Chris Anstey played for the Titans after playing in the NBA and prior to a stint in the Euroleague/VTB league (before returning home again).

There's a reason to give up big cash, and if you aren't in an average team in a good league in a decent country, playing in Australia for less cash closer to family is a much more appealing option. The ANBL has enough talent to be superior to the European leagues that aren't Euroleague, VTB, Italian, Greek, Lithuanian, German, Serbian etc.

KET, how many of those contracts by Aussies were due to the fact their visa allowed them to be a local? I'm sure if you went through the history of the NBL you would find many to could play as imports. But currently, I don't think there are as many local stars playing here as there used to be. In saying that, there are still some quality players, I just don't think as many.

Isaac, I don't disagree that Pero will get the spot as right this moment he is the best option, but there was a swipe at a player and I think that player is of a calibre that would allow him to be at the 10th spot on an NBL roster.

KET, comparing Lebron James' ability to get an NBL gig with an Aussies ability get a contract as an import (not a local) is crazy. Name some current names that would be at a standard to be an import in the mention leagues.

Sadly not an employee of FIBA, but do some contract work for them at tournaments around the world (and now a weekly piece) and contract for AAP covering basketball in Aus.

The money on offer in Egypt and Kazakhstan (except new club Astana) isnt higher than in the NBL from what I know. Egypt's per month is generally low by world standards and the season is exceptionally short. It's nice stop gap work for a month if nothing else is on to keep paying some bills.

In the Middle East there are two leagues I know of that pay decent money and have long seasons, Lebanon and Iran. Other places like Saudi Arabia and Kuwait pay good monthly rates but their seasons are very short (2-3 months) so the total is small. Some of their clubs also play in tournaments that offer good money for a week or two's work.

It is good for an older American who cant/doesnt want to play in more intense leagues like Australia or good Euro comps and dont obviously have a home league they can make decent money in.

They can pick up decent money for a short amount of time and then move onto the next short gig.

For an Aussie though, they can earn guaranteed money for one long season in their home country in a much higher standard league.

Why would they ever want to risk playing as an import in those short-term leagues where they may well end up earning around the NBL minimum wage if a deal falls through and they end up with only one 2-3 month deal for the entire season?

1. Pick an alias and stick with it
2. I mentioned 8-9 players
3. Read Paul's latest post

Daniel Johnson as an import?????