Is Free Agency 2 weeks after the grand final?

Yes free agency is two weeks after GF, players not in nbl, those playing OS are free agents already. My information is some of these players are already hot topic, certainly the bigs.

I hope NZ can get it done but if they don't I will still be stoked on their season after how bad the last two were for the players, staff and fans.

Love to see the NBL 1) retain bigs in the league like Pinder and 2) find a way to persuade good Aussie bigs like Kay to return home.

I don't care if it means Perth get Kay and Sydney gets Pinder. These days we want our best talent to either be in the NBL or NBA. Euroleague we can cop because guys like Exum might be a stretch too far to lure home for now.

With rumblings of Perth looking to make McDowell white the highest paid player in the NBL it will be interesting if this will be the breakers year

Perth won't be able to get Kay and WMW without blowing the cap, unless they opt for two imports. Also Japan and Europe still have more funds, I believe the salary cap should be raised to at least 2.5 million.

Kay and WMW would be marquee's wouldn't they? If so they'd have set amounts against the cap unrelated to what they're actually being paid.

If the Breakers stay out of foul trouble they win the series. The two key players that Sydney need to attack is Brantley and Abercrombie. Maor has had to shorten the rotation and the Breakers bench does not match up well against Sydney

.

If WMW stays in the NBL and Maor is coaching the Breakers WMW is staying at the Breakers. End of story. At this stage, I'd put it 50/50 that we see WMW back for a one year marquee deal or he’s off to Euroleague. He may even get an off-season opportunity in the NBA through the breakers network. Not sure if he’s three-point He may even get a off-season opportunity in the NBA through the breakers network. Not sure if his three-point shot is lethal enough to secure him a gig there yet though.

If you have two marquess I believe you are only allowed two imports, three marquess, one import, marquess on a scaling salary starting at 170k I believe.

Rlie mentioned he wants more locals than Imports . Perth are going to throw everything at McDowell White. He might accept it or he might stay in NZ . If I was a betting man I bet he stays

Rillie

" salary cap should be raised to at least 2.5 million."

That should be entirely dependent on the next broadcast deal I'd say.

If league-wide clubs are losing ~$20mil per year, it’s hard to cater for such a substantial increase in cap.

But I agree, it’s pretty bloody important to find a way to fend off Asia in particular.

14.0 PPG
53.9 FG%
35.3 3P%
88.9 FT%
6.0 RPG
5.0 APG
3.0 TOPG

Very good stats and all-round play from WMW this series, but playing devils advocate: his production wasn't at this level across the whole season. The kind of $$ you're alleging Perth are willing to spend on him would be a leap of faith.

I do like the potential fit with Cotton though, which would obviously be a decisive factor for Rillie.

Heart says Breakers. But can't see the kings losing at home in a game that will define the sports importance in the state.

Kings will get every single 50/50. Can they overcome Cooks injuries? That’s the biggest thing for me, because he has been woeful.

Likewise between the depth of their roster and the likely home calls I can't see the kings dropping the 5th but damn I hope they do

If WMW doesn't want to play in Brisbane due to the pressures of performing in front of family and friends, what chance do we honestly give Perth.

Fingers crossed for Breakers victory btw.

Carn the Breakers!

Come on Breakers, let's do this.

Every Australian, outside of Sydney, is with you. After all it's the way it shatters that matters.

So Chase Buford repeatedly says the refs were on NZ's side during game four and had been influenced by Matt Wash's tweet.

When will the NBL be announcing their petty $1k slap on the wrist fine for him? Or do they just not even bother these days because the drama is so good for their socials and NBL media articles? They left it a while to fine him after he put his foot through the Tassie LED, but then again, the game is tomorrow so they're leaving it late.

The guy has been sanctioned several times for the same offence of bagging refs. This is the problem with the league governing themselves. The don't want to rein it in because it's good for business.

It reminds me of Joey Wright's in 2018 "Who should I talk to? Talk to Melbourne about Melbourne?"

The precedent has been set now - it's fine to allege the refs are biased and call the game "8 versus 5". It reinforces the same damaging narrative that it's OK to bag the officials which is ingrained from the NBA down.

Free Agency starts to get a mention and already the Kings are supposedly going after Cairns 2 main players and others which shows how they just throw money at them and weaken the other teams who do not have the money to offer.

Weak as P-ss Kings.

Buford fined $3,500.

Ouch!! Won't be hearing another peep out of him after that I reckon.

Won't get off his chair the entire game

Slap on the wrist...

Ngl, I'll be fairly erect if the Breakers are looking the goods in final quarter.

Breakers win this in a blowout comfortably

Don't jinx it

Gotta hand it to Chase.

I never thought there'd be a bigger flog in Australian basketball than Simon Mitchell. He’s really outdone himself.

That's one of the worst coaching decisions ever reviewing that. Game 5 and you’re reviewing a challenge in Q1. That was just dumb emotion.

Come on !!!

Cooks w

Cooks with a little dirty shove there

NZ defence has been elite!

Now, as long as NZ can make their foul shots ...

Lol Sydney are fucking embarrassing.

Just none stop complaining.

Walton jr should have won Best Actor imho

Ngl, I'll be fairly erect if the Breakers are looking the goods in final quarter.

Refs starting to feel pressure from Buford. NZ got attack the rack

How did big Joe get the best seats in the house?

I'm soft now. :(

Rekon it could be any obvious who Liam & Heverin want to win?

Disappointing lack of help on that last Cooks bucket - he should have been forced to pass out, so that time expired

Lol at Cooks carrying on after making that layup to end the quarter.

Again all 50/50 going to kings. NZ in trouble now.

Twelve point lead all but gone.

Was thinking the same dunkman. Not sure if the refs bottled it with Buford moaning, or if the payment just came through haha

Really?

Fourth foul on Cooks. Giggity.

Hunter was in the key that long and no call

Cracking game

Perthworld - WNBL gonna WNBL

Stay classy Sydney.

Kings bitch titting about that goaltend then Breakers immediately hitting the three making me semi hard.

Sydney are succumbing to the pressure. Their guards can even start an offence. Breakers defence incredible.

So a Sydney fan throws a water bottle onto the court. Everything about the Kings is trash.

Can't*

Glover can't even move and he's finding a way. Wish we had players like that

Rekon it could be any obvious who Liam & Heverin want to win?

I'm going limp again.

NZ blowing this with poor execution and even worse shot selection.

Glover inspiring stuff

Refs coming home for kings. Wonder if Buford will complain about refs now with first four fouls in last quarter going to breakers.

Damn refs. Cooks should be out this game. No calls on Syney in the 4th. No surprise.

Such a cock tease and now we're down by 5.

Perthworld - WNBL gonna WNBL

Cooks can lie all over the floor in a non defensive position and refs stops play, fuck me.

Yep, they stopped play rather than call a foul on Cooks who was intentionally trying to do so. You've got to be fucking kidding me.

Turning off, can't stand watching the flogs anymore. Thanks for the chats this season everyone, it's been real.

Why does that guy on the Sydney bench have his hoodie on under his jersey and why is he wearing a man purse?

00:00 on the clock so I'm switching off as well.

Both New Zealand and Australia lost tonight.

So a Sydney fan throws a water bottle onto the court. Everything about the Kings is trash.

If the NBL wasn't corrupt, the Kings wouldn't even be participating in this series.

Fuck this league.

Please remove von hofe from any nbl media...

Hope we all enjoyed the game! New record crowd to boot.

IMHO Mayberry should have been MVP

Congratulations to kings, Glover huge , Walton fantastic down the stretch.

Breakers, my sympathies are with you, so gallant and other than one game most close calls were against you. Abercrombie is still fantastic. WMW very good but at times looks like he runs out petrol, needs to be fitter.

Good luck to Cooks in nba.

Wow. Absolutely no acknowledgement of NZ by Leoeliger.
None

You'd think Buford was posting on here based on some of these comments about the refs. How ironic.

I stand corrected

Wow. Absolutely no acknowledgement of NZ by Leoeliger.
None

Haha, you just pump faked me.

Credit to Sydney - they made the most of their opportunities.

This series has a big * beside it - a Sydney win engineered by the NBL which didn't have the integrity or balls to suspend Buford.

Looks like money talks loudest (again) - NBL wouldn’t want to risk Smith or Sydney fans taking their money elsewhere.

Cooks could have shot somebody in the 4th and they wouldn't give him a 5th. No problems from the refs giving Abercrombe a 5th.

Why are there 2 trophies?

Congratulations to the K...

Nup, can't do it.

It's shockingly quiet on here for a GF decider, I'm assuming most opted not to bother with it which in hindsight was the smarter option. How telling.

We as NBL fans have always yearned for greater investment but it's a case of be careful what you wish for now.

LK is going to pump this up by any means necessary because integrity doesn't reap you profits and more importantly equity which will allow him to sell it onto someone down the line at an inflated sucker's price.

Meanwhile we, the true believers, see it for what it is beneath the glitz and glamour. What do we do now?

I've already muted all relevant hashtags and accounts on Twitter.

Fitting end to a highly competitive series

Best GF since 2008 in the end

Glover inspirational.

Probably the best called game in the series. Sydney in trouble from the 1st quarter, thanks to some very dumb play from Noi, and some good acting from Pardon.

WDW taken out of play from the 1st... Buford clearly outcoached Moar in this one.

Kudos to the Kings.. 2 in a row is a hard ask!

And it was interesting that, although the Kings didn't get the calls all night like they usually do in deciding games at home, they definitely got them over the last few minutes

@Perthworld

"It's shockingly quiet on here for a GF decider, I'm assuming most opted not to bother with it which in hindsight was the smarter option. How telling."

Nup. Just an illustration how anti-Kings this place is (MVP etc).

Record crowd, once again, speaks far more than a few forum posts.

I am not one for the whole 'hoops capital' crap, but no one has drawn a bigger aggregate crowd in NBL history...

Nobody has a building anywhere near as big, either.

@LV

Granted. That being said... NZ went a very long way away from what was working in the 4th. Seemed a little bit like panic?

Where was WDW after such a good 1st half?

Nothing but respect for NZ, geez they were good. 55 sec to go I genuinely though Brown could drop a couple a steal it.

@kobe

Mate, I think you will find this place has a pretty big anti-Kings bias. Rightly or wrongly, take your pick.

If this was 36ers vs United or Wildcats... 4000 comments.

Yes, it should definitely be about how unfair everything is for Sydney and how they're victims of...something.

I thought Brantley panicked a bit. Threw up a few ill advised shots tonight. But good series overall, can't really fault him.

The series ebbed and flowed but the consistent element in Kings wins was NZ failing to find avenues to score in the 2nd halves. Same again tonight.

Glover was probably the difference, if there was any, in this whole series. Came off the bench, played a role, hit big shots with efficiency.

Although they got the calls late, Sydney also had more energy. Probably down to having a bit more depth and their main guys were a bit fresher

Looking forward to Next season when United will get healthy, with an awesome Next star in Hukporti giving the roster a boost, expect to see them back in the Grand Final where Vickerman has found himself so often

It's been a good season folks. Enjoy the off season. Now for the footy.

@Kobe reaching there champ. NZ could have easily taken this one. The Kings bench came up huge and were better coached over the series.. NZ did not have same resource to draw upon. Everything else is theatre, but I suspect you know that.

Kings lose to Cairns in game three if the GRP grows a spine and suspends Buford.

@Kobe "If this was 36ers vs United or Wildcats... 4000 comments."

I stand by this. Have a good night.

Because this forum started as a South Australian forum and took in a lot of people from the old Wildcats forum once it shut down, not because of some insane anti-Sydney conspiracy.

@kobe

Mate, your comments are contradictory:

"Yes, it should definitely be about how unfair everything is for Sydney and how they're victims of...something"

Implying that there is some sort of conspiracy.

"Because this forum started as a South Australian forum and took in a lot of people from the old Wildcats forum once it shut down, not because of some insane anti-Sydney conspiracy."

...but there is not a conspiracy?

The Kings were the best team statistically in 22/23. They beat a valiant Breakers whom I have nothing but respect for, esp. after the last couple of years. Your below the line comments are unnecessary.

Your sarcasm meter is broken.

Kings were indeed best team all year and my tip all year.

NZ and Cairns were also excellent.

Cairns unfortunately were cruelled by injuries otherwise quite possibly would've beaten Sydney, based on the semi final series.

United likewise hit by injury- 11-3 with Ili on court. Missed playoffs by one basket but at their best were contenders. 10-3 over the last 13 which included wins in NZ, in Tassie and over Cairns at home.

All other teams ultimately were pretenders.

Over the last 21 seasons, titles- Perth 6, Sydney 5, Melbourne 4, NZ 4, Brisbane 1.

(Dragons 1).

Right now since Gleeson's departure the two Alpha Dogs are Melbourne and Sydney. Buford and Vickerman can both coach and both have resources behind them, so you'd think they will be in the mix. But Forde and Moar are young coaches with young talent- hopefully they keep WMW, Pinder and Kuol, and could well be in the mix again.

The NBL is in a great place.

Thanks for the comments all. Enjoy the off season. Now go Sainters!

I would happily put my money on a Forde-coached team all day and twice on Sunday. As you say @LV, bring on an injury-free 23/24!

Yes it was a magnificent season, well done to the nbl. Sydney were always favourites and rightly so, ended up a lot closer than I thought, in the end their bench was just so deep.

Free agency will start to see if Cairns can keep the players and how sides pan out. Rucker saying that Buford a chance of not being there next season, Cooks gone could open up the season for others.

I'll keep an eye on nbl1, I’ve gone off the football codes, though I’ll watch a few.

Finally, everyone’s who trolls Smith is fine but I’d say he’s having the last laugh as turned kings into winners and I’d say making very reasonable profits.

Because this forum started as a South Australian forum and took in a lot of people from the old Wildcats forum once it shut down, not because of some insane anti-Sydney conspiracy.

Didn't know OzHoops predated the Kings folding, TBH, was just slightly before my time.

"Know your history" was aimed at Dave Q and anyone else who doesn't understand the origins behind the fan dynamics of The Artist Formerly Known as Hoops SA yet wants to complain about bias. Don't blame us, blame Tim Johnston.

The version of OzHoops you remember, let's call it v2, which peaked and ultimately collapsed once the inmates started to run the asylum due to bizarre non-moderation, began in 2003 after a failed migration of the original caused users to re-register and start from scratch. The reset is etched in my brain because I found it ridiculous and the loss of content disappointing at the beginning of a great new thing.

This is where my memory becomes murky although I believe v1 launched in either 2001 or 2002 to fill the void left behind by the end of Pro Basketball Today's NBL coverage and its ultimate demise as a publication soon after. There was at least one domain name change during the early years so a whois lookup won't provide the answer.

The forum back then, during v1 and the early years of v2, was a secondary part of the website as the front page featured professional match reports written by a supporter of each NBL side who was tasked with publishing one after every home game. This information was gold because there were only two televised games per week and with PBT out of the picture print media coverage was insufficient.

The beauty of it was that the articles were supplemented by being able to interact with the writers and other fans via message board.

I cringe at the stone age nature of it all compared with today. If say there was a Saturday night game you may have waited into a Monday or Tuesday for the write-up to be uploaded because these were volunteers giving up their valuable time using dial-up internet. There were many reports which never eventuated so it wasn't perfect but I thank them for their service.

Gradually the forum overtook the front page in importance to the point where it was eventually completely ignored, and the rest is history until the advent of social media tragically superseded this format for those below a certain age.

Congrats to the KIngs on back to back titles and although NZ didn't manage to finish the fairytale they can still hold their heads high after an unbelievable season.

PBT closed down in 2005, not 2002.

LK and Paul Smith laughing all the way to the bank, after engineering the result they wanted. I'm not anti-Sydney in saying that - they obv had the best squad and a competent coach - I’m just pro-integrity and fairness, which the NBL seems to adopt only when convenient.

No doubt I’ll have changed my mind by next season, but right now I have no interest in the NBL if this is the way it’s going to be in the future. I feel sorry for the players, who are just pawns in the political games. I feel sorry for the refs who try to uphold the rules and the principles, only to be given bugger-all support by the parent body.

Nuff said

It's sad to see the breakers fail at the final hurdle. It would be great to see NZ be able to form more professional teams in all sporting codes based on the success of runs like the one they had.

I started using OzHoops in late 2001 if my memory is correct.

Many classic memories of getting into long debates in between uni classes in the 00's. Perhaps not much has changed, except it's work not uni these days!

I was also moderator of the Tigers forum in 2005-2006 and volunteered as a reporter, attending press conferences and doing podcasts using a little device which I think was an "iRiver". I reckon I've still got a copy of some of those podcasts buried away on a hard drive somewhere.

Ah, the good old days of the NBL. When Seamus McPeake ran the Tigers championship parties as BBQ's at Woodlands Park in Essendon, across the road from his house.

Days gone by. Ah.

Forums have been gradually going the way of the dinosaur since at least 2006 or 2007 when social media started taking over, but Ozhoops remained fairly lively for a few years after that.

Hoops is in slow decline too of course. Perhaps time to jump off the ship! I do enjoy the banter though.

As usual the Kings start going after the better players from the less financial clubs and Clubs like Cairns and others cannot battle the dollars to retain while teams like Sydney,Melbourne and a couple of others just rip the guts out the lesser financial clubs and they continue to struggle.

Not fair and something needs to be done to help the those lesser financial clubs.

Most codes that play international sports, the wealthy plunder the poor. Manchester city spend so much more than other clubs to get success. Madrid and Barcelona in the basketball are the same, yes it's crap but that’s business.

PBT closed down in 2005, not 2002.

the end of Pro Basketball Today's NBL coverage and its ultimate demise as a publication soon after.

Stay salty losers back to back !!!

LK and Paul Smith laughing all the way to the bank, after engineering the result they wanted. I'm not anti-Sydney in saying that - they obv had the best squad and a competent coach - I'm just pro-integrity and fairness, which the NBL seems to adopt only when convenient.

Great game, it had absolutely everything, loved it.

Refs were certainly not the problem and were fair noting in the 1st quarter Breakers went to the FT line 7 times to the Kings 0.
Kings went to the FT line 5 times to the Breakers 0 in the last quarter.

It simply came down to the Breakers inability to score for a significant period, same as Game 3.
Breakers were 2/10 in the last quarter for 2pt, no one wins a Chip shooting this poorly.

Xavier Cooks was hobbled from the first minute of game 1 and then getting a serious corky in the last Qtr. Corkies 'usually' take at least 7 days to come good. He was probably 85% last night and still dominated and showed why he is the league MVP.
Over the series he shot 17/26 FTs = 65%.

I simply don't get the hate on Cooks, he was approached by at least 7 NBA GMs who know more than any of you Mumma's basement nerf ballers.
I for one will miss watching him play in the NBL.

Long live the Wizard King!

"It's sad to see the breakers fail at the final hurdle. It would be great to see NZ be able to form more professional teams in all sporting codes based on the success of runs like the one they had."

As a Kings fan I'm obviously happy to get the win, but if there was a single team I'd have been OK with losing to it would have been NZ after the past few seasons. Much respect for Forde in Cairns, but Mody should have been CotY.

Maybe there's no appetite for it, but I would have liked a 2nd NZ team to have been looked at, especially over a re-roll of the dice on the Gold Coast.

I started using OzHoops in late 2001 if my memory is correct.

Days gone by. Ah.

I was one of the contributors of a site in the late 90's called NBL Today with the legend that is Derek "Drek" Nielsen. I was one of the volunteer writers also and covered Perth. Was a lot of fun and bloody time consuming. If you want to go waaaay back, who was on the old #nbl channel on IRC?

There's plenty more memories where those came from.

I was a fan in the 90's but only attended the odd game my Dad took me to. (Like game 3 of 97!)

Went on a "Tiger Tour" in 2001 organised by Jeff Van Groningen and thereafter was when I became a serious fan.

Walking along Hollywood Boulevard, Drewy was getting stuck into Hammer Heal about the salary cap.

"Salary cap, what salary cap?" Heal asked with a laugh

20 years later, some things haven't changed. Sydney still spending big. Still denying it except now it's Bogut in denial.

Went to a shootaround with Heal in a gym in San Antonio.

He says "I promise you I'll hit 50 free throws in a row by my third attempt".

First time....11.

2nd time....66!

Said his record was 134.

Gave me some tips which improved my game - I was playing Victorian junior championship division at the time.

Good times, good times indeed

And on the forum side, back in the 00's I regularly met people from Ozhoops- there was a time when I'd personally met a fair few of the main regulars on the site.

I originally was good friends with Tigergirl (I think that was her username....I only know her my her real name now) and the "Roar Energy" Tigers cheer squad

Stumps, Mattic, good ol Southern Joe, Dicko, Cesar etc etc. Sparring partners online but friendly in real life.

I caught up with some OzHoopers before a Kings game a couple of times for Chinese food and a few beers back when the Kings played at the Entertainment Centre. Good times.

I was one of the contributors of a site in the late 90's called NBL Today with the legend that is Derek "Drek" Nielsen. I was one of the volunteer writers also and covered Perth. Was a lot of fun and bloody time consuming.

If you want to go waaaay back, who was on the old #nbl channel on IRC?

I wasn't active on IRC but I was and still am a proud member of the Rusoll Fan Club

Walking along Hollywood Boulevard, Drewy was getting stuck into Hammer Heal about the salary cap.

"Salary cap, what salary cap?" Heal asked with a laugh

20 years later, some things haven't changed. Sydney still spending big. Still denying it except now it's Bogut in denial.

Our records are cute (and I know indoor v outdoor) AFL round 1, game 1 88,084

I caught up with some OzHoopers before a Kings game a couple of times for Chinese food and a few beers back when the Kings played at the Entertainment Centre. Good times.

whose most recent nickname on here*

Just about every time I see Derek, I ask him when he is going to re-open OzHoops.

Sadly, nothing ever comes of it (he comes up here to work the score-bench regularly).

The domain had a generic basketball website uploaded to it last year but with no forum. Looks to be down again now.

He is probably scarred for life from running a message board after dealing with a select few psychos who would call him up personally threatening legal action if bans weren't overturned.

The forum went back up years ago, but literally nobody posts.

He claims to be self employed now running an NBL-themed Twitch channel? Never heard of it.

The forum went back up years ago, but literally nobody posts.