sweet

If they can get an okay import big then top 4 for sure

Wow that is amazing! When will it be announced?

Just a little reminder, Sportsbet has the Crocs at $10 to win it all.

Need confirmation ASAP so I can get dat moneh moneh.

Don't think there will be a second import. Probably spent the budget on Ervin.

Go ahead and get det moneh moneh. Crocs will need another import to be a serious contender, and the one they do have (as great a player as Ervin is) didn't qualify for the playoffs last time he played here.

That was quick if true. Brilliant for the Crocs and League. It'll be great to see Gary back.

hope he does come, I wanna see him and Cedric go at it.

Julian, totally disagree. I think people forget how far they went last season. Ervin is so much better than Gill, providing more penetration which will open up all the Townsville shooters. Mims turned out to be a waste of an import spot, taking minutes off Blanchfield and the likes. All the young guys have stood up after another year. The only question mark is the strength of the bigs and whether Ben Allen can sustain it. Also, anyone could see whenever Schenscher was on the floor, they suffered big time in defensive rotation, not so much this year.

Not official yet, answer either way will come today.

You dont fire 2 imports without having a deal done to replace at least 1.

If its 2 weeks out from the season you might. Ervin will be a good fit if Crocs get him. Their tall players will be where they get exploited. Need to sign a cheap 2nd import - even a SEABL one would be enough for more depth.

If they get a Reggie Evans type (no skill but plays hard), they will be doing well.

I don't think they can afford to just grab a local big who will play negligible minutes. Their big line-up is very suspect. Allen has had a pretty good preseason, but how much can you rely on him to be the number 1 option? He wouldn't be the first guy to have a good preseason, then go straight back to how they used to be the season before. Hinder is coming off a season long injury. He hasn't proven that he can handle a full season with 20 mpg yet. The big issue is both of these guys aren't really your rebounders or shot blockers, or particularly good offensive threats. Holmes obviously helps is this category, but he's already undersized at the 4, he can't be relied on to carry most of the rebounding and toughness.
Coming up against the likes of Schenscher, Johnson, Pledger, Hudson, Crosswhite, Knight, Tragardh, Burston and Scott, I'm not sure they have the size and ability to defend them, nor the offensive side to compensate for this.
Ervin will obviously be a difference maker. He turned a limited Wollongong side into a contender before he went down with injury. He can win games on his own, but being the only import, with a pretty underwhelming Aussie group behind him, I just can't see it working.

Turned a limited Wollongong team into a contender? They made the grand final the year before despite losing their import mid-season, and then didnt make the playoffs with Ervin!

He is a good player though and Crocs have the shooters to make him effective.

Re their big spot, I think they are best to sign a cheap local on a short term deal and see what happens. If Allen stays in great form and Hinder is solid in reserve they can keep the status quo.

If it doesnt work or they get an injury they have an import spot in reserve.

Wow! The only positive part of my post was what was argued with.
Wasn't expecting that.

The Crocs don't have an underwhelming Aussie lineup, jesus. I really think the problem is that when fans don't watch many broadcasts of a particular team, they automatically think less of that team. That's why NQ teams don't get the props they should.

It's like "well I watched the team X match, they played well and won, but I didn't see the team Y match. Team Y still won, but I saw some pretty good play from team X, so Team Y probably didn't do as well as team X."

fact is, Team Y probably did some pretty good things as well but generally armchair critics will just base a prediction by seeing only one side of the story.

Paul, if Sav hadn't got injured, they would've done well IMO. Their big losing streak was when he was out. Ervin doesn't solve everything and has his flaws (FT and 3P shooting) but he's obviously strong outside of those things. Probably better than most import options at the point.

No doubt, but the discussion is whether Ervin turned them into a contender. The answer is no, the year before they made the GF, and that was with McKee injured the whole second half the year, not just Saville missing six games.

It's always the same argument with volume scorers - Does their scoring garner a big net gain or does it detract production from other guys on the team.

Kobe, Carmelo, Westbrook, Monta Ellis, Derrick Rose, T-Mac, Michael Redd, Brian Scalabrine.

No news on Ervin, just that they made a number a couple of offers - given his $ value is pretty high and he is still euro based, I think there is higher chance of him staying over there than coming back to Aus (not to his favoured hawks). It would be a massive improvement to the Crocs if he signed up and I hope crocs fans stop bagging a very successful club and support it. Hate Smythe ? get the owners to get rid of him but get behind your team - this is coming from a Cairns supporter and typing that burns me fingers...(:<)

Hawks couldn't get him cause of $'s at the time - given the Crocs needed investor / sponsor top up just to finish last season and be viable (this is hotly debated - Luke S leaving was strongly linked to his need to be paid up front and issues with the clubs $ position/falling revenue/membership), you have to wonder why top $ Ervin would sign with a club if there is a risk he wont get paid: and player agents do check on the club and all this info about the Crocs is public knowledge.

Club made a statement a little while ago that there was no news on the import - I wouldn't expect them to suit up until rnd 2 with visa requirements regardless of who it is. Boti reckons Ervin or Eddie Shannon - my money would be on Eddie Shannon or someone similar - Ervin is out of the Crocs $ bracket.

Still doubters that he is signed? I can guarantee his signing.

Well just yesterday, Smythe said that there hasn't been a US point guard signed. If he said it, it must be true, he has never mislead anyone in the past.