There is great hype surrounding the quality product the NBL is delivering early in the new season, and despite the increased talent across the eight teams, it does appear that those with more money are going to flourish.
The talk was that not only was the NBL perhaps at its strongest point ever concerning the talent pool available but that it was the evenest competition to date.
Given the way the soft-cap works, the level of parity the NBL has created is debatable.
There’s no doubt however that the NBL’s changes have improved its on court product. With 21 quality imports plying their trade in the competition along with some of our best local talent, the NBL has created a great spectacle whether you are watching in the stands or on TV.
Despite the positive impacts from the raft of changes implemented by the NBL, there are some consequences for the ‘poorer’ teams. It’s hard to see the Cairns Taipans and Adelaide 36ers making the playoffs let alone coming close to being a championship contender. The Illawarra Hawks also appear to be facing an uphill battle to get back to a playoff appearance.
It’s no coincidence that they are the three clubs with the least amount of money and they are more than ever this season fighting out of their weight division against the league’s powerful and rich.
The Perth Wildcats and New Zealand Breakers have split the last seven championships, and that has as much to do with boardroom success as it does with strong on court performances. Therefore, it’s no surprise both clubs have assembled strong rosters.
The Breakers have welcomed back Kirk Penney while replacing Cedric and Charles Jackson with imports Ben Woodside and Akil Mitchell who have looked good early. The Wildcats have kept their core together while adding an extra import although Andre Ingram has already replaced Jaron Johnson.
The Sydney Kings under new coach Andrew Gaze have opened up the chequebook to remarkable levels to sign three-time Olympian Brad Newley and two-time NBA champion Josh Powell along with fellow imports Greg Whittington and Michael Bryson.
The Kings also have two-time MVP and Olympian Kevin Lisch and another Boomer in the form of Aleks Maric. That’s a team with enormous capability and that doesn’t even take into account the talents Julian Khazzouh who is yet to play this season, or mentioning Tom Garlepp and Jason Cadee.
Melbourne United has gone all out to build superstar teams the past two years. It hasn’t paid off, but they have gone to the well once more luring Cedric Jackson from New Zealand along with one of Australia’s all-time greats David Andersen.
Along with fellow imports Ramone Moore and Devin Williams, Melbourne has added Tai Wesley from the Breakers, and they still have Chris Goulding.
The Brisbane Bullets have returned to the NBL, and while they haven’t broken the bank with imports signing Jermaine Beal from the Wildcats and Torrey Craig from the Taipans, they have outstanding Australian talent.
Perhaps their best signing was current Boomers head coach Andrej Lemanis, who has been able to lure
Cameron Bairstow after his time in the NBA along with stars from other NBL clubs Daniel Kickert, Adam Gibson, Tom Jervis and Anthony Petrie.
Those five clubs have taken full advantage of the NBL increasing the salary cap and softening it. After two rounds of the season, it’s tough to split these teams.
That’s not to say that the Hawks, Taipans, and 36ers can’t take it up to those five stacked teams, but they do face an uphill battle purely because they haven’t been able to spend the same levels of money.
It might be only two rounds into the new season, but Illawarra, Adelaide, and Cairns currently occupy the bottom three positions and it will take a mighty effort for any of them to end up in the playoffs.
The Hawks have the best chance. They might have lost Penney and Lisch from last season’s team that lost to Perth in the semifinals, but coach Rob Beveridge remains the best in the business.
He has been able to assemble a team capable of playing his uptempo, high-scoring and full-court pressure defence style which always makes them tough to beat, and tough to stop putting up 100-plus points.
Former league MVP Rotnei Clarke is back while Marvelle Harris looks capable of being a good scorer in the league and Michael Holyfield appears to be a significant acquisition thus far.
Thrown in the presence of AJ Ogilvy, veteran Rhys Martin, Oscar Forman, Tim Coenraad and the arrival of formerTownsville Crocs pair Nick Kay and Mitch Norton, and Illawarra has a good looking squad.
Whether or not the Hawks have the necessary depth to match the richer teams remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt Beveridge being coach gives them every chance to succeed.
Adelaide is an interesting case. Any team that has Jerome Randle in it is always going to be a threat and tough to beat. He’s already proven that this season by leading the Sixers to wins over Melbourne and Brisbane.
The 36ers were always going to rely on Randle to win matches in clutch situations, but the pressure on him to perform has now increased following a broken leg to captain Mitch Creek. It’s unlikely that Randle can carry this team to the playoffs.
Daniel Johnson remains too inconsistent while Terrance Ferguson at 18 looks too young to take on a key role as an import scorer and Eric Jacobsen doesn’t look capable of having a dominant influence.
The Taipans are now the underdogs in the NBL fighting out of their weight division more than ever in the new-look league of 2016-17.
Cairns continues to display great heart, and they are led admirably by coach Aaron Fearne. With Cameron Gliddon, Mark Worthington, Stephen Weigh and Alex Loughton on the roster the Taipans have good leadership.
Nate Jawai potentially gave them a dominant inside presence. But over the course of his career, the big man hasn’t proven overly durable or that he can be a consistent contributor on limited preparation which is what he has this season.
While Cairns were able to sign three imports as well this season, Nnanna Egwu, Fuquan Edwin, and Travis Trice look a level below what the rest of the league has been able to sign.
The Taipans are yet to play at home this season losing on the road in competitive showings against Perth and Sydney. They will be tough to beat in Cairns, but it appears they will struggle to top last season’s 12 wins.
ROUND 3 NBL FIXTURES (AEDT)
THURSDAY
New Zealand Breakers v Sydney Kings – North Shore Events Centre 5.30pm
Melbourne United v Brisbane Bullets – Hisense Arena 7.30pm
FRIDAY
Adelaide 36ers v Cairns Taipans – Titanium Security Arena 7.30pm
Perth Wildcats v Illawarra Hawks – Perth Arena 9.30pm
SATURDAY
Brisbane Bullets v New Zealand Breakers – Brisbane Convention Centre 7.30pm
SUNDAY
Melbourne United v Perth Wildcats – Hisense Arena 3pm
MONDAY
Sydney Kings v Illawarra Hawks – Qudos Bank Arena 7.30pm
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