Can someone find the quote about how they were going to keep him for the rest of the season?

They're really not the steady Wildcats of recent years!

Can not say this season has not been interesting and yes this is legit.

Why don't they get rid of Hire, Bradkt or Kenny ffs

http://www.wildcats.com.au/perth-wildcats/jaron-johnson-released-2/

What an absolute joke. As much as he has struggled to find his place, you gotta feel for him after all these shenanigans.

Hopefully Bendat gives him a big payout.

Hahahahahaha.

It's going to be a delight to have a playoffs series without the Wildcats this season. I feel bad for JJ, he must be fuming.

What about that webpage name: /jaron-johnson-released-2/

Release number 2.

Not even 2 months since his re-activation, I truly feel sorry for him. Sure its the nature of professional sport that players come and go in the pursuit for wins but it seems unnecessarily harsh.

Get on Board the WildCats Roller-Coaster,
more twists and loops than you can count, its a hell of a ride.

Merry Christmas JJ.

What a fuck up.

All I can say is that they better have Ware or Randle's twin lined up. If its some other smuck, I'm going down to kick some ass.

Look sure, he wasn't a good fit, but fuck that is a miserable way to treat somebody. Sack them, call em back, then sack em again 2 days before Christmas.

Why not a month ago???

Unless they have a deadest champion lined up, its not going to make enough difference at this point.

Watch this space I guess.

I don't like the "coming weeks" part of that article... surely they'd need to be halfway here on a plane already if you're going to cut JJ.

Plus, if Prather keeps getting better, he won't be back next season, and they'll wish they kept JJ.

This is fucken ridiculous! Gotta feel for the guy. Did they copy and paste a line from the original statement two months ago?

'See out the rest of the 16/17 season in a wildcats singlet' ??? What does that mean surely he won't stay on our list or we can't sign another import.

That's a quote from when he was re-signed after the first time he was released.

Ah got it. Thanks

There's a bit of a break now over Christmas, but yes, got to line-up soon (and then not get injured) to qualify for the finals (although at this point the Cats would just be happy to MAKE the finals.)

Interesting to see not only who but WHAT the new player is?
Combo guard is the obvious choice, somebody like a Randle, Ware, or even Lisch.

But I also wonder if maybe they just found themselves a gun import and needed the slot. A High-scoring forward perhaps???

Please be Yogi Ferrell !!!!!

Hooley Mac! This is really below the belt for poor JJ.

Each time, he does well he gets chopped. Nick Marvin must have succumbed to coaches demands.

It would be travesty of justice if the next guy they pick does worse.

"It's going to be a delight to have a playoffs series without the Wildcats this season"
Keep dreaming, we've played 1 game less than 3 teams in the top 4 & 3 games less than Sydney who are 3rd.
Plus the cats have a heap of home games in the new year.

Schmuck

Ideally needs to be a high-scoring combo guard.
Another straight PG will leave them short on points and be redundant when Damo comes back

I'd assume that they already have somebody lined out, that they have been looking for months and finally nailed someone. Needs to be awesome though.

And I still think they could have handled it better.

At this point in the season, are they required to pay out the balance of JJ's contract? Hope so.

Its the right move.

But its two months too late.

Wtf are you doing Marvin!

JJ played well against Adelaide and was improving over the course of the season. When he was released the first time I was pleased and then when he returned after the Ingram debacle I thought it was a mistake and that the Cats organisation panicked. The problem isn't JJ's ability, it's that Kenny, Wroe or Bragg aren't up to leading the point in a league of this quality.
Kenny is a good three point shooter, but often doesn't take open looks when he should. He's a decent defender but gets in foul trouble and can be caught off guard by quicker players. Wroe can defend but his offensive game is lacking big time and spends way too much time with the ball before passing it. Bragg is just a young, inexperienced player who has pace and may one day be a solid player but is at least a couple of years away from that.
So as messed up as this decision is, unfortunately it's still the right call. My only thinking of why it has taken so damn long is that the club must have been waiting on a particular player.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, I guess...
It's just not been our season in so many ways. But as has been said, the streak was always going to end sooner or later. If it was any other team, I have no doubt JJ would've stayed and they would've just done their best to work with what they have, IMO. But the Wildcats culture means they won't do that. I admire Marvin and co's commitment to excellence, but I feel bad that JJ's paid the price for their poor choices. The sooner they accept the fate and focus on rebuilding instead of looking for a quick-fix, the sooner we get back to the top of the ladder IMO. I mean these guys like Knight, Martin and Wagstaff are getting on and won't be around forever, and in some cases are becoming (or are) quite injury-prone as well. For example, and don't get me wrong I think he's great for what he does, but Greg Hire is the sort of guy that adds rebounding/hustle tenacity off the bench when the other four on the floor aren't having trouble putting points on the board collectively. Doesn't work so well when you're relying on the starting SF to carry the scoring load.

Sad night as a Wildcats member, great guy. This is disgusting! No respect and no class, far cry from a club that always been a team that has respected it's player's and supporters.

What ever happens from here on, I've lost a lot of respect for what they have done to jj. Should of no reactivated him in the first place.

This move next will decide if we go top four or we get our first spoon. the next guy that comes in will have all eyes on him and judging every move.

A fan of the cats since 87 and all I can say is WTF! So disappointed in their decision making this year. I've seen the sacking of Black, then Bruton, and Trevor Torrance (lol). In all those, I don't think I was as flabbergasted as the sacking of Johnson (this time especially). I can't believe a club that I have been a
Member of since 1990, who I think the world of, would treat a player like this days before Christmas.
Yes, Johnson was wrong fit- but he has played his heart out since being reinstated. Injuries to key players haven't helped and obviously the pressure from an aging and ailing Bendat is mounting with the team at the bottom of the ladder, but in all honesty- why use Johnson as the scapegoat. Love Wagstaff and Kenny but the boys have underperformed. Don't get me started on Wroe. Wildcats biggest mistake at start of season was not recruiting another key Aussie guard and allowing Redhage to re-sign. Don't get me wrong, I don't think he is the problem- it's just our coach hasn't used him effectively. We have a 3 point specialist in DKD yet he rides the pine most of the night.
The subs have been shite! Wagstaff has had that many brain fades this season it's a joke.
Oh well, I can only hope the likes of a Randle or Ware is around the corner.
Really hope management know what they are doing. #feelingskeptical

Unfortunate, but Perth need to do something to keep their season alive.

@Isaac - I don't have the direct quote but pretty sure it was that "It was their intent to keep Johnson for the season". Thats very open to interpretation.

I don't know why this is so surprising to people though, he's been coming off the bench and its well documented that he was never the right fit. I just hope whoever they replace him with is an absolute gun and I would say it would be a combo guard to help Kenny out with PG duties and free up Prather.

Perth had to make changes or not make the finals, its simple as that. I really wouldn't be surprised to see Redhage retire in favour of Walker. Not even McKay is safe.

The Wildcats will replace Johnson in the coming weeks, says the Wildcats' website.

Weeks? Wtf? We might as well call an end to the season as we will lose the next three to four games.

What difference does it make if we keep JJ? At least, we keep our integrity since we promised JJ be will be kept for the rest of the year.

WHAT. THE. FUCK.

I'd say they already have someone lined up. It doesn't male sense to release hm unless they have someone else ready to go by X date.

Dick Marvin, as long as you are still employed, some part of the Cats will always be dead to me

Perth are at the bottom of the ladder, it might seem like a dick move from Marvin but from a business perspective its the right move. He should never of been "re-activated" in the first place. I know it sounds cold and harsh but something had to give. If Perth can snag a Ware or a Randle then its the right move.

The import will be replaced 'in the coming weeks'

Doesn't sound immediate does it?

Perth are getting desperate and are starting to shit themselves with the thought of missing the playoffs.I don't like the Wildcats but they place the blame on JJ when they need Brandt,Hire,Redhage,Kenny and Wagstaff to step up.Gleeson needs to step also with him playing Wroe more than Bragg is a mystery .Surely they won't bring Cedric Jackson in who doesn't have points in him.He's a penetrater that opens up scoring options for others but that will be useless cause they can't put ball in the basket

Cedric Jackson won't help this team. They need a combo guard who can flat out sore and take the attention off Prather but can also play the PG so they can stop relying on Wroe and Bragg.

How embarrassment.


I know the life of imports can be harsh, but damn, this really takes the cake.
The Wildcats had better have someone pretty special lined up to justify this level of fuckery.

All the best to JJ. He seems like a quality guy, who deserves better than this.

If the Wildcats want someone who can shoot the 3 I hear Scott Christopherson is available :P

Seriously though, strange move releasing Johnson. He was arguable Perth's best player in Thursday night's loss.

It's no surprise to me that the three teams who have mucked around most with their imports are sitting on the bottom of the ladder (PER, MEL) or riding a 4 game losing streak (SYD).

And the teams with the stable imports are sitting on top of the ladder.

Work through your problems SYD, MEL and PER, stop looking for a quick fix.

^^^

Aside from the Ced axing, which in hindsight has been for the better, United have been struck with a few injuries

One can only assume Perth have a star lined up.

This begs the questions:

Should teams be able to change their players mid-season without an injury waiver?

There is potential for the four richer clubs in Perth/NZ/Melb/Syd to just buy better players mid-season if they aren't playing well. It exemplifies the idea of buying a championship.

Haha, well it's not really Perths year I guess

Some great highlights in the video.

Cairns, Sydney and Brisbane could use him

So JJ has been "released" not de activated this time?

Let's say Perth somehow qualifies for playoffs, and Prather or any other import gets injured, does this mean JJ can't return?

Also re Melbourne, if one of their imports were to get injured on the Eve of the playoffs. Would they be able to bring Devin Williams back?

Wildcats will be signing Ryan Broekhoff

'Wildcats will be signing Ryan Broekhoff'

Srs?

You wouldn't release an import to sign an Aussie

Perth to sign Nate Robinson

Wildcats will be signing Ryan Broekhoff

If the Cats get broekhoff that is a season defining move that could put them right back in the title hunt.

If Broekhoff rumours are true, they should also grab a import pg/combo guard too, even a cheap one and that will balance out there roster nicely.

Common sense seems that they have someone waiting on the wings.
There next game is 31st Dec so now is the time to swing in a player and have at least 3-4 practices before the next game.

Are you sure? A quality player breaking a contract with a Eurocup team mid-season to go play in the NBL seems like such a likely scenario to me, as does the Wildcats chasing a SF to help fill their deficiencies in the backcourt. It feels like destiny to me.

The funniest thing is that for all the heartbreaking sentiment in this thread......if Perth bring in someone decent and push their way into the playoffs it will be Jaron who???

Things aren't all as they seem....

They are one win and one loss outside the top four, just need to string a couple wins and they are back in the hunt.

Just need a spark to get them playing.

Yup cats 4 life, As I stated in this thread. We've played 1 game less than 3 teams in the top 4 & 3 games less than Sydney who are 3rd.
Plus the cats have a heap of home games in the new year.
Plus Martin coming back (won't be 100%) & other players can only get better as most are down atm.
Too many people writing us off too soon.

There are two distinguishable issues.
I think most of us accept that JJ is not a good fit for what the Cats need from an import.

Then, I think most of us also agree that this was a shitty way to treat JJ.
Cats should have made the right choice from the start,
or should have stuck with it the first time they sacked him. Sacking him again, 2 days before Christmas, is the pits.

In answer to someone's query above, the terminology means nothing. They can only re-sign JJ for a "season-ending injury"
So yes, if Prather went down on the eve of play-offs (for the rest of the season) they could theoretically recall JJ.
Oh how I would love to listen in to Trevor making that phone-call.

If JJ was cut because he's not right for team balance, why would they sign Broekhoff? He's another SF, FFS!

It was a shitty move to cut JJ again, especially just before Christmas. If they've cut him to sign Broekhoff, they should be pilloried from pillar to post.

I'm sure they will sign an import combo guard, it's the only thing they could do without becoming complete pariahs. Perth are pricks, potentially.

how many games does a player need to play to be eligable for finals? IS it 8? 12 games for Perth remain. Whoever it is will need to suit up for every game and not get injured...

8 games for finals eligibility

I highly doubt they are signing Broekhoff, but anything's possible.
If that was the case, he would not be the direct replacement, but axing JJ WOULD make sense.

Broekhoff is a 2/3. We already have th ebest SF in the league in Prather, and Sadly JJ has proven to be too similar. If an Australia of Broekhoff's calibre got cut in Europe, he'd be an attractive option for any team, but the last thing you want is 3 "starters" all filling the same role.
So particularly if Damo's return is delayed, they might chase a combo guard, or even a PG as their 3rd import.
So Redhage retires, and you get a line-up of say
Jackson / Kenny
Prather / DKD
Broekhoff / Hire
Knight / Wagstaff
McKay / Brandt

BUT I don't think any of that is going to happen. LOL. Wait and see.

@koberulz' gif - even if it's true, he's not *that* good.

Goodwin's NBA stats say that he struggled from 3 so I'd rather not get him and Yogi Ferrell doesn't seem the right fit either... hopefully we get a real stud that can take pressure off of Prather and help the rest of us.

Also worth noting that Angus Brandt in previous seasons has played terribly until Christmas and then become a good player in the new year... its time for him to shine

@proud in year one Brandt was struggling with knee problems and in year two Khazzouh was injured a bit before christmas which explains why Brandt started to play better in those years.

I highly doubt they are signing Broekhoff

I don't think any of that is going to happen. LOL. Wait and see

You are living in a sweet fantasy land if you believe Perth are getting Jackson and Broekhoff

Things aren't as they seem, cats has no choice but to release johnson, i'm sure the story will come out soon

there is no way in hell he is a 2 in this league.

Ah, the irony of stupidity.
Apart from the obvious point that I said he was a 2/3, not a 2, the fact is that he would be easily good enough to play either role in the NBL.

Maybe one day we'll get to see, but it won't be any time soon.

Why do people give ANY credence to these gormless Trolls???
I mean seriously, the internet is largely anonymous anyway, this board even allows users to be almost completely anonymous, yet none of these twats who claim to know will dare to clarify what they claim to know.

Any fuckwit can claim "they had to let him go" without actually knowing jack shit. That way, it doesn't matter if it turns out he was a terrorist, or he left because his Grandma is ill, the fuckwit can still claim to be right.
Worse still, years later, when NOTHING has "come to light" they can still persist with the same puerile claims.

So here's the challenge to all wannabe anonytrolls. If you believe JJ "had to be let go" due to something he did, state your case, or shut the fuck up.

Because otherwise, here's what we actually know:
JJ was not a good fit.
The Cats sacked him for "not being a good fit."

Quality highlight reel put together up above by Nick Tan. Most players would be happy with that in a season. Johnson was a bit raw but he certainly was starting to show what he was capable of more consistently.

Johnson has averaged 13.14 points per game (14th in the league) at 42.6% from the field (38.3% 3PT), 71.3% FT%, 4.57 rebounds, 1.79 assists.

Compare that to his predecessor Beal, who this season is averaging 12.39 points per game (18th in the league) at 39.1% from the field (33% 3PT), 82.3% FT%, 2.61 rebounds, 2.06 assists.

Seems Johnson has stacked up pretty well, statistically at least.

By the way the two Beal posts were me.

Things aren't as they seem, cats has no choice but to release johnson, i'm sure the story will come out soon

Did you hear that rumor from an anon on here, by any chance?

Meh, trolls can't even keep their rumours straight.
At this point, unless somebody is prepared to man up and actually make a claim, I'm not really interested.
"Things are not as they seem" WTF does that even mean???
"Perth had no choice." Wrong, they always have a choice. Unless he got deported by the Feds or locked up by the cops.
"NBL knows the full story." Pigs Arse
As if the Cats would trust the NBL to keep a secret.
Cats weren't happy with him, and took the opportunity to replace him with a better option when Cotton became available. THAT's how things "seem".
Remember, "not a good fit," covers everything from on-court mechanics, bad attitude, to personal hygiene.

If somebody wants to make a contrary claim, rather than just spout gibberish, I'm all ears.

If Isaac takes it seriously, I'm inclined to take it seriously. The delay in signing Cotton points in that direction as well.

Though obviously the press release from the NBL hasn't eventuated.

If we hadn't secured the services of Cotton prior to releasing Johnson, then we are very VERY fortunate.

I guess the rumour also has legs because Johnson hung around to train in Perth the first time he was released - he was back in Houston within days this time around.

If we hadn't secured the services of Cotton prior to releasing Johnson, then we are very VERY fortunate.

I'm another that doesn't buy the 'scandal' stuff, occam's razor and all that. The Wildcats have made themselves look like rank amateurs this season with the deactivating of JJ, signing & releasing Ingram on spurious grounds supposedly another scandal, re-activating JJ and now punting JJ a second time so logic suggests if there really was some scandalous reason he had to be cut again they would've at the very least put it out there on the quiet rather than make their club look like the tin pot operation it currently does.

If Isaac takes it seriously, I'm inclined to take it seriously.

he was back in Houston within days this time around.

That's my point, people just keep making vague mentiosn, which basically means that whatever transpires they can claim to be correct, when in fact it has been obvious that they know jack shit.

And yes, Anon #616765 above makes some very good points.

As it is, the "sack him, re-hire him when injuries strike, publicly promise him the rest of the season, then sack him again two days before Christmas, makes them look incompetent, disloyal, ruthless, and untrustworthy. It has not only pissed of fans, but is not a good look when they go recruiting at Summer League next year.

Plus, if you're going to lie and cover something up, why not something that puts the Cats in a better light??? Something like the ever popular "returning to the states for family reasons" or the recently in-vogue "mental health issues."

But if it was as the Wildcats say:
1. Why did it take so long to do something everyone could see they needed to do from pre-season?
2. Why did it take them so long to sign a replacement?

A week is ages. Remember that Jesse Sanders kept playing for Sydney back in 2014 even after they'd already signed Sam Young to replace him.

Johnson shouldn't have been released until Cotton was already locked in to play the next game.

I'll put this to bed once and for all. If it was out of the cats control, then it could be one of two reasons:

Did you hear that rumor from an anon on here, by any chance?

So... not asking for the identity of your source, but what's stopping you from telling us exactly what you've heard?

Hmmm possible traces but inconclusive on first release and confirmed violation on second release? Was trying to ignore this but well you really piqued my curiosity...

But if it was as the Wildcats say:
1. Why did it take so long to do something everyone could see they needed to do from pre-season?
2. Why did it take them so long to sign a replacement?

I don't know it works, is there any need to get a FIBA clearance from his Turkish team???

There's a third possibility: he broke club rules.

In the second category, is it possible he was somehow ineligible to play?
In fact, given the rumours surrounding Ingram, perhaps the league cottoned on to the "season-ending injury" thing, meaning Johnson couldn't return.
That would be something the league would presumably make a statement about, thus the anon's claims at the time. Why nothing would have eventuated, though, I don't know.

Hmmm possible traces but inconclusive on first release and confirmed violation on second release? Was trying to ignore this but well you really piqued my curiosity...

Cotton was available for three weeks before Johnson was sacked.

New Zealand managed to replace David Stockton in 36 hours.

^ I don't get it either.
I've heard nothing about the situation other than the official releases and the posts on this forum, and to me all the circumstantial evidence matches up pretty well with what random anons + Isaac have hinted at. So after my initial disappointment about the way JJ has "been treated" I have basically stayed silent on the matter, because it's pretty clear to me that there were other factors at play.

If the info is legit, why would the NBL rat them out? No benefit to them - just a distraction when the league is doing pretty well. And why would the Cats want the info public? Cotton comes in, they win some games, and nothing makes the papers. Why throw a player under the bus if you can avoid it? They'll survive looking awkward for firing and re-hiring. Barely anyone will remember that in a year.

Probably some decent lessons in crisis management. I doubt a club like Adelaide in years past would handle an issue like this as cleanly.

And why would the Cats want the info public?

An incident of that sort would just be a distraction for the league and team. NBL doesn't need that - needs to focus on the games.

Agreed Isaac.

I can't imagine Adelaide dealing with a crisis cleanly...

Jaron Johnson sanctioned for positive drug test

ASADA announced today that Jaron Johnson has been sanctioned for a breach of the WADA Anti-Doping Code after testing positive for cannabis.
He was tested as part of regular in-competition testing after a game against the New Zealand Breakers in November 2016.

And I thought WTH you're resurrecting a dead thread for? Where's Dazz?

OK, so thats why the Wildcats had to move himn on so quickly the second time without anyone lined up. Not only did they cop a lof of flak over it, they had to do it with no option of a rebuttal (with the truth).

Perth certainly don't mess around when it comes to drugs. David Bailey, now JJ.