I think the cut off time to cut imports has passed so he is in the team for the rest of the season. So we might as well support him.

I don't think it was a huge mistake. No one could have predicted he would shoot such a low percentage after having a career high field goal percentage including in recent years.

His fitness was an issue though however he looks to be fitter now. Some could argue the calf injury slowed him down at the start.

Defensively he gets burnt sometimes, other times he plays good defense. Same as Gibson but no one seems to mention that.

With Randle in the team Ere should get open more often (When Randle decides to pass)

I still expect him to have break out games this season and be a key player in wins.

Did the team sign him up to be a dominate Childress type of import? No
Should they have cut him by now? Yes
Huge mistake? No

I was led to believe cut off time had not passed for imports and wonder if someone can inform us of this .
Definitely respect your posting KJ and your loyalty.
But would like to cover some points raised.
Firstly I agree if can't be replaced we should support him, I personally can't as i think it was a disgrace he turned up as a professional sports person in that condition. As a long term season ticket holder obviously continue support team.
Yes many in fact ,most posters predicted bad choice in getting Ere even before become official due to age and so long since played NBL.
Sorry Kj but how in the hell can you say he looks fitter now as he uniform still bulges and moves at snail pace and does nothing better even against a very weak Crocs team.
Like I am waiting for that big lottery win you can wait for that break out game or even some signs he could defend a u- 14 player.
But you are a great supporter and poster and hope we both see better
Sixers days.

King James I was concerned from the get go as you knew ;) But my question why didn't they do something earlier on when he was clearly struggled. I mean has clearly been consistent, just at the wrong end of the spectrum! When Randle came in and that exchange went down, he shouldve been moved on too. God knows he couldn't have argued the business decision! Crazy thing is he has actually lost some of the weight, not that we shouldve picked up a guy who had to be nursed into playing shape, but he is still missing and missing ugly! Ive been saying this from the get go and been told how negative I was etc etc but you can sugar coat shit, its still shit.

Yes, the time where you can cut an import and not have to pay them out has been and gone. Are Adelaide in a Position to cut him and recruit someone else and stay under the cap?

I always though the cut off point for guaranteed contracts was a date (early/mid Dec?), not a set number of games played.

Exactly '585. Salary cap is one thing, but covering costs is another thing entirely - would feel a touch more sympathy if they'd put more effort into fan relationships from the start.

Ideally though, you'd bring in a replacement. They're far from in a hole on the ladder. Ere is putting in the effort, but I think he's a bit over the hill for this level. If they keep him, adjust the expectation, don't expect him to create for himself, and put more load on Gibson, Creek, etc for that.

Wouldn't be confident of making the four regardless of current position though. I think Melbourne have talent while Perth and NZ have that and experience to form the top three. It will be very competitive for the last spot and I think Cairns and Illawarra simply have more experience for one of them to get the spot.

If Adelaide can pinch it, I will be impressed. Too many fades (same with Hawks) to make me confident. Really should be going to Gibson for the clutch bucket.

I think we made a change on American Import, Frye
just before the finals or so.

I'm not 100% sure either. Obviously "games played" counts for finals qualifications and that but for some reason I thought the guarantee contract thing was a date in December.

I think the reason a lot of people are confused on this is because of the much more truncated season we have. We have no pased the time period/game period where they can cut him and not have to pay him out.

THats it.

So you either continue to play with him, perhaps in a different rotation, bench him or cut him completely

My observation is that you ADL fans are always quick to blame the imports, but your biggest weakness is the Aussie players (Gibbo, Creek, Petrie, Walker) who you guys inflate to superstar levels but really due to their lack of consistency are just ok players. At his best Gibbo is (was) a superstar but you don't see that too often any more.

^ the problem is there is only really one "weaker" team in the league this year...

Time to pull the trigger and cut Ebi and sign harrington then we would be looking at a championship! Make it happen im sure there is a big business out the that would sponsor a nba vet to throw on the sixers blue

Anon #610

The 10 games number I recall from posts and media articles last season.

Last month the NBL Commission announced that a review of rules and regulations would be a priority for them. I doubt they've completed that yet so I assume the same rules as last season apply to this import contract termination issue.

FWIW, the 2 months after the first regular season game was a clause in the 2010-11 NBL Standard Player Contract (latest copy I have of that document).

I couldn't find the answer to this import termination cutoff question in the 2011-12 NBL Rules and Regs (latest copy I have of those).

It's not just his offense (Which is sub-standard).

It's also the fact that defensively he is severely outmatched.

He is too slow to defend SGs and a lot of SF's and too small to defend PF's.

I've always said that getting a veteran/old big man isn't too bad because for a lot of them they never really relied on their pace/athleticism. Some can still get it done at an older age.

But taking a shooting guard at that age is more of a risk and one that obviously hasn't worked quite as well.

There is a number of players Adelaide has that are not playing great. The key factor with Ebi is that he is the ONLY one of those under performing that can indeed be upgraded as he is the import. Glad to see others saying what i have from the get go. Wont go far with this current team.

Bring back Diamon Simpson and should have been signed in the 1st place.

Wilson,

I think reasonable Sixer fans have a good appreciation for the lack of consistency the team gets from the "local" players.

I appreciate that the depth and skill of local talent at Perth, Melbourne and NZ exceed that of Adelaide (while being comparable with Cairns and Illawarra). I suspect this is why Adelaide fans place greater expectations on the output from the Sixers imports.

My observation is that you ADL fans are always quick to blame the imports...

Meanwhile big money is being pumped into an Aussie point guard who turns up 1/3 games

Gibbo wont be paid by the 6ers much longer id say. But great question why have him if the ball isnt in his hands. Love randle but hard for gibbo to produce a play without ball in his hand.

The mail is Gibbo won't be back next season regardless.

If that's the case I'd be hoping the Sixers try and get Randle back and perhaps partner him with a guy like Newley, who might just be ready to make a return home.

Same mail snooch. Lemanis even used his name directly in his head coaching interview haha Randle has to be back and marketing has to around him. The crows go nuts when he delivers which is often.

In addition, I'm hearing Joey doesn't want Gibbo back either. So it's a win-win all-round I guess.

Randle is really loving Adelaide by all reports, just a matter of finding the coin to keep him.

Hmmm didnt know that part. Not a good sign when the coach doesnt want the captain back. Bit of self imploding stuff going on perhaps. Atill just cant believe the coach would select an import in the condition Ere is/has been in. With the amount of talent each team put together in the offseason, the selections of the imports had to be top notch. Fail.

Many wont admit it but the team dodged a major bullet with mcnail going out. Randle has been a huge reason why fans are still coming along. Just wish we had him from the get go.

You do hear Joey going pretty hard at Gibbo sometimes in timeouts. Figured that was just the relationship they have though.

I think it's more a matter of Joey having lost faith in him this season and now being prepared to move on without him. I don't think it's a matter of self-imploding as such.

Given he'd be on reasonable money (albeit having taken pay cuts in recent years from what I've been told) you would hope they could find a decent replacement. That's why I'd be chasing Newley hard (if he's ready to come home - I've no idea if he is, but it's worth asking)

I'd like to see a big bodied centre as a priority. There are some big bodies in the league these days, and DJ just can't compete. He would much better suited playing a stretch 4 role and playing D on the "smaller" big on the opposing team, IMO.

Im with you dave, using up alot of energy on defence these days. And it effected his laat 3 minutes offensively against cats.

Good luck trying to win the league with Brandt as you starting centre.

I don't think its fair on Ebi to put all the teams issues on him.

The issues transcend just one player. Team defence is the biggest issue but few want to address it, opting instead just to get rid of the import probably because it is the easiest 'something' to do.

Well you could bring in another "Prather-type" or "Diamon-type", but you will still have a coach plus 9 other players that aren't committed to defence. The change needs to come from the collective 6'ers, top down, not just 1 person.

Ebi's points production isn't that bad. If you express his points in 'per 40 minute' terms he is 17.9 per 40 mins, DJ is 21.8 per 40 mins. Gibbo is EIGHTH in the team in points per 40 mins @ 13.7.

Why is it Gibbo who has a more senior role, and presumably on more money being a premier Australian player not being pulled up?

Ebi's percentages are the concern, but once he starts hitting his straps, look out.

One major concern I have is its seems most people are happy to keep the defence 'as is' provided we just get another import in.

OK.

If the fan-base are put defence behind a new flashy import, how can the organisation be expected to improve themselves?

Is it possible that the issue extends to the fan-base?

^ Which part of 'Ebi isn't a good defender either' don't you understand??

I hope you guys took note of the crocs win over United. The same crocs the sixers pummelled just over a week ago. Point being, the sixers can compete with the best of them - the crocs win was quality and the loss to Perth was very close. Let's not get carried away and overreact to every loss by calling for ebi sacking, it is a long season.

Gibbo is and always has been one of the most overrated players in the league. He's a role player who always seems to be marketed as a big star.

@Snooch....

And wich part of there are another 9 players and a coach not particularly interested in Defence did you not comprehend?

'Fixing' Ebi resolves 1/10th of the issue.

Focusing on Team D will encompass so much more.

Gibbo is a role player, an excellent one. Some of the best players in the NBL over the years have been role players, the issue comes with fans expecting him to be a superstar.

I think it's because he's in the Boomers, but he makes that team because he's a really good role player!

The problem is Gibbo should be so much more than a role player - he has the ability just not the application.
Has been too prepared to stay in his comfort zone rather than make himself better. That's what frustrates me as a fan.

Compare him to someone like Goulding - a guy who has worked his arse off to become the best he can be, and he's starting to reap the rewards. Gibbo could have done the same, but chose not to for whatever reason.

What ability does gibbo have? He is average at everything but he plays smart. He doesn't have potential to be any more than a role player he doesn't have the athleticism or speed to be a star

Couldn't agree less Snooch. Gibson is a guy not blessed with height, speed or athleticism, he's not a natural shooter by any means, but he has made himself a quality professional by doing what his team needs.

"What ability does gibbo have?"

Gibbo is a premier defender when he wants to be.

Look at his defence on Beal in his last game, it was quality.

The sad thing is it doesn't happen always.

I don't buy all this 'role player' stuff. Gibson is simply elite when he feels like it. The gap from his worst to best is so great and it can't be blamed on anything but mentality. Granted the notion that he is a role player is correct (because he chooses to be), but the notion that he is a role-player talent definitely isn't because he's shown to be MVP-level when engaged. Joey may have crippled him with the constant signing of import combo guards, who knows?

His efficiency in shooting and decision making seems to be completely overlooked here. That's what makes him the talent he is. His shot is somewhat streaky but whose isn't among the top echelon?

If I were building a team and got the promise from Gibbo to play 100 per cent every week, he would be my No. 1 or two pick for PG behind Cedric

Perhaps I should have said he SHOULD have been so much more than a role player, because he's not going to get any better now. But he WAS a guy blessed with a lot of ability who hasn't lived up to potential imo. Terrific shooter, decent defender, good passer, good basketball brain - just lack of application.

I don't expect him to be a star now, those days are long gone. He's a role player now simply because he didn't do enough to realise his potential. I mean, good on the guy for reaching 300 games doing that - you don't play 300 games without talent - it's just my opinion he COULD have been a star.

I rate him similarly to a guy like Aaron Trahair - could destroy you when he wanted to, just didn't do it enough.

Smart teams pay elite role players like Martin, Knight, Gibson, Vukona, Abercrombie and Petrie, they are the foundations you build upon. I think Gibson has gotten close to the best out of himself.

Yeah, totally right snooch. Didn't fully read your earlier comment. You're right, in that Gibbo has worked hard to develop his talent and get to a certain level, yet he seldom uses his full talent in any given game.

Paul, scoring isn't the only thing that makes a player a star. I'd say you're undermining those guys because a role player isn't someone who's overly important. Those listed are super important to their teams and for various reasons

Also, I'll add with Gibbo that Adelaide's style doesn't suit him. When they slow the pace down he generally plays better. He's a good defender in the halfcourt and his basketball brain is better used in the halfcourt

Throw him on Cairns' roster and we're instant contenders