Anon=muppet

So many players don't understand how important an even league is. Putting the league first will gradually increase salaries and stability. Barlow cites job security but plays in Europe?!

Loads of players are rated a 10 and have jobs. At any time, a team could take on a Barlow in place of an import (given he's potentially better than many) but they don't. Points cap? Doubt it. More likely to be salary demands. If they can't afford someone, the points aren't so relevant. And who is going to begrudge owners the right to watch their spending when they are the ones with their money on the line?

How many players are OS because of the points cap? I don't buy that Barlow is for a second. Khazzouh, Bose, etc left of their own accord. Most teams would take Khazzouh on in place of an import, right? Dillon maybe? Could've been had in place of Massingale, I guess.

College returnees come in at three points, so the points cap isn't trouble for any of the new talent. Ingles and co are priced beyond the NBL, so it isn't them either. Others chase Europe to tick that career box or try to get a foothold and make more money.

Of course players will speak against it because their personal interest is in playing wherever pays them best and/or suits them (wanting to win, wanting to suck up to a Boomers coach, etc). Not many will directly have the best interest of the league at heart.

The one situation I can think of as a legitimate problem is with a team like Perth trying to build and retain a roster. As their younger players improve, they start coming up against the cap. Ideally, as a league, you want stronger teams to face this pressure and leach players (Wagstaff, Redhage or whoever) to weaker teams with space. However, we all want to see continuity with rosters so clubs can build identity. They can keep a Redhage by taking on a scrub rather than Bartlett (incoming player this year). If they didn't replace anyone though, then it could be an issue.

Previous loyalty concessions were a bit problematic in a few cases. e.g., being able to constantly re-contract someone at their original value, capping at five points, or chop and renew to take advantage of a reduced value mid-contract.

I dont care who 'Chuck Norris' is but I do care that there are some great Aussie players being turned away from the NBL.

Seriously the NBL needs a massive shake up.

'Chuck Norris' are you still involved at Sandringham Sabres?

For the league to prosper we need the best possible talent playing here in Australia. It is the responsiblity of the clubs to work within there respective budgets and not go out there and send themselves broke.

What horse shite from David Barlow.
The points cap is not stopping him form returning in any way, nor Ingles , Newley , Jawaii.

More Daniel Eade crud

Points system has never worked. Why the f**k would anyone defend it? An even league, oh the same league that is on the edge of destruction. If it isn't work, why fix it? That seems to be the NBL stance on things, and some of you people out there.

Chuck Norris, I changed your topic title because it was completely incorrect and not supported by Barlow's quotes.

When many clubs are not spending the full cap, how do you think the marquee player rule would work? Obviously the points cap is no limitation.

Ricey, never worked? Bar the Crocs (who sacked two imports before the season began), every team is a game off .500 at minimum. The best league is one where anyone can win on any given night. Who is going to watch their team if it's likely to lose every game?

Without caps, we'd be looking at NZ and Perth a clear measure above everyone else. They already have a gap as it is.

Abercrombie might be 1 point , not sure.
I lost the plot with this system.
Like the bounce in footy , time to move

I agree with Isaac. It's a useful temporary tool to distribute talent amongst the league's teams while the league grows. Only Perth could potentially be disadvantaged by this while all regional clubs are pretty much saved by it - net gain overall, imo.

The player point system does cause greater player movement than is ideal (from the players' perspective), but so long as the point allocation is managed properly by the NBL it doesn't impact job security.

Barlow, Ingles etc are playing overseas because NBL teams can't realistically meet salary demands, or the exposure required to showcase for the better basketball clubs (e.g. NBA teams)... again, essentially to make more money. It's only ever been money-related reasons that has kept those 10-point Aussies overseas.

Those who are against the point system, enjoy a league compromising of: Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand. See how entertaining that would be before sponsorship dies out and the league dissolves altogether.

Barlow's argument is invalid.

At the end of the day its the SALARY CAP which is going to prevent a team from signing a lot of big name players.

I don't know why Barlow is arguing.

He is never going to have a problem getting an NBL job. If he came back and said I want to play in the NBL, a lot of teams would go after him to be honest.

The Points System is more disadvantageous to the 2nd tier of players, like those rated 5-8.
I think Dillon was a 6 last year?
Those types of players really miss out because teams mostly always have very little left over.

The 10 point players, like Barlow, getting treated and signed first.

The best league is one that is entertaining and financially viable. Explain to me how NBL meets either criteria?

How does the NBA do it? Full transparency.

Very misleading.

Khazzouh, Bose, Worthington, Dillon, Nevill and so on, do not not play in the NBL because of their points rating.

Khazzouh and Bose left the NBL for more $ and to play overseas.

Worthington (despite rumours of him almost signing with Melbourne) did not want to play in Australia this year. He wanted (as always) more money and to play o/s again. Rightly so, this will likely be his last big pay day.

Dillon HAD a contract. Asked to be released, committed to the Blaze before they folded, when they did he tried with Cairns and even looked at Wollongong who didn't sign him and that had nothing to do with his points at all. But a variety of other reasons which i won't put on a public forum. And then was stuck in no mans land because all rosters were full at his position. Again, nothing to do with his points.

Nevill already decided to make a run at the NBA before the end of the NBL season. He didn't make it and is still trying to make a Euro roster/waiting for NBA injury call up. Nothing to do with points.

Who else isn't in the league this year... Gynes. He wasn't re-signed by the Kings because Heal wasn't a big fan (for some reason) and was not contacted by another team. Nothing to do with his points.

OK - So WHO is not in the NBL this year because of their points?

Players are not in the league and playing in Euro because either A. They're not good enough for the NBL or B. They want more money.

Best post ever

Another point is that while leagues like the AFL and NBA have player drafts to distribute quality new talent to weaker clubs, the NBL does not.

(The NBL likely doesn't have a draft partly because salaries in the NBL are not high enough to require forcing young players interstate based on a draft choice.)

Salary cap and points cap versus salary cap and player draft.

After his initial contract, he would be re-rated.

'Barlow cites job security but plays in Europe?!'

Isaac, i think his pay packet is worth living on the edge for!

The job security concern raised by Barlow is false. If he stated right now that he wanted to come back to Australia for the next NBL season, he would have no trouble obtaining a 3-year deal from a number of clubs despite his 10 point rating.

Seems the top team does have 9 extra points , vide Abercrombie loop hole , which helps parity.

Camel NZ re-signed aber in the off season to a new contract which superseded his 1 point contract he is playing as a 10 point player this season.

I don't think parity at all costs is a good outcome. Bottom feeder clubs provide valid justification for giving young players big minutes, which is a good thing for the long-term health of a league

pretty sure Pledger was also resigned as a 8 this season

I think a league where there is a sustainable cycle of re-building and contending is the best way forward.

This minimises roster turnover and allows the public to identify with their team's players throughout the growth of their career, which is the best way to get a city to connect with their team.

Gee what a surprise, a Daniel Eade article full of crap. Honest to God, why do people even bother with the trash this guy spews out on a regular basis?

I think when you look at it, if he's trying to come back then that means potentially a current top player maybe gone? essentially it might be hard for NBL to maintain a high level of basketball with a point cap system. Whilst I understand it's important to have levelled playing field, but this might also be why the level of competition may not be as good as it can be.

MW, calculations might be slightly off as NBL's numbers vary and their roster calculations are old:

Cairns could swap a 10-point Barlow in for Grabau if he retired after this season and stay under the cap.

Melbourne could let Greer go, keep Flynn plus take on Barlow's 10 points.

Top team Perth could release a guy getting 0.8 PPG, keep Redhage even if he stayed a 10, and take on Barlow.

Hawks could get him when Saville retires.

The Crocs could get him in for Cedar, assuming Abney is appropriately rated. Maybe even for C Cedar.

I don't think Barlow into the league would mean that a top tier player need be pushed out. And even if it did, it could happen at the expense of an import.

Further, if the league adds a new team, that's 70 more points to burn on Barlows, Dillons, imports, etc. Easy.

Points are not keeping Barlow out of the league.

I like the points system. Keeps it fair.

Marquee player should be brought in and points system kept however if the team's marquee player is American (or not Aussie) I don't believe they should be allowed two imports, this also means the team could potentially sign someone who is a real drawcard (like some of the players who are now in China).

Marquee player rule sounds real cool until a team with more money than everyone else cashes up for an absolute stud and then everyone whinges how unfair it is that their team can't throw an extra 750-Mill at an legit NBA player (ie Kenyon Martin, Juan Carlos Navarro etc). I like the idea of a points cap to keep everyone honest but I think it needs to be tweaked a little so that loyalty is rewarded and vets can see out their Careers at their respected clubs whilst remaining competitive across the board, other than that aspect I think it is pretty good.

What complete and utter bollocks... as others have already stated above, there is NO way that the points cap is restricting Barlow from coming back and playing in the NBL, let alone any other Australian playing overseas... yet more tripe from this "journalist", the term of which could not be more thinly applied...

Mystro don't you think the statistical output of even the best player the NBL could afford would rarely account for more than most solid two import combos?

Curtley, yeah in most cases.
I don't think there is anything wrong with the standard of Imports or local players anyway.