This just shows how f%^*ing stupid the points cap is.

Townsville, for example, are light years ahead of last year's squad, yet have 13 points left and will in all likelihood sign a minimum salary kinda guy who will only eat up a couple of points.

They will probably end up 10 points under the cap.

You're rating guys based on past production, so older guys ALWAYS end up overrated via this system.

This is why a salary cap - soft or hard - is what you need: guys get PAID for a combination of past production, present form, and future potential.

Melbourne have 10 left. Have seen it discussed before and clarified as:

Kickert 10
Dennis 10
Barlow 9
Worthington 9
Walker 7
Corletto 7
MacMillan 4
Tomlinson 3
Odigie 1

United are rumored to be near securing their second import so they must have at least 10 points up their sleeve.

re: Kings... Brandt is a 3, as standard out of college value... Duinker would be a 9 (as well as Kickert from United) as that's the standard value for a local player coming back from OS...

Perry* {10} / Cadee {5}
Madgen {10} / White {3}
Childress* {10} / D. Joyce {1?}
Garlepp {7} / Ellis {3}
Brandt {3} / Duinker {9}
Total = 61

Corletto is a 7 but he has already played 10 years at the tigers so under loyalty hes only worth a 3 7-4=3

I thought the loyalty discount is for consecutive years with a club? I would imagine Corletto wouldn't qualify for a loyalty discount for being away from Melbourne for so long.

Makes a mockery of the loyalty discount if Melb can use it on Corletto. Long service leave entitlements for any other business are based on consecutive years, otherwise they are reset.

Corletto being a 3 is the most stupid thing I've heard on this board all week...

It's for consecutive years at the same club, not transferable...

As for Kings, I've been hoping that they would make the most of the available points, but either they couldn't attract any decent locals up to the 10pts available, or they can't/won't go over the cap and have chosen to spend the rest of the cash on Childress...

I'm not wholey against that approach (it being SOJ aside) seeing as how it would be a back up role behind Childress, but would have loved to have been able to get a bit deeper with someone like Toly or even deeper and be able to play Brandt at the 4 with someone like Jules, both I think have come back recently on holidays, but I think both are pretty locked in overseas :(

"and yet players use it as an excuse not to return"

They use it to hide their true excuse - the inferior money.

But naturally they don't want to come out and say "the money isn't good enough so I'm staying Europe" so they throw the points cap excuse out there.

Ironic that Barlow returned to the league the year the marquee rule kicked in. Also he is coming off averaging 3.4ppg in Poland (his bargaining power over there wouldn't have been the best).

Fact is that the points cap doesn't affect European-based Australians.

All NBL teams wouldn't hesitate to snap up a 10 point Australian in Europe in place of an import i.e. Motum, Ingles, Newley, Goulding

Kickert might be a 10 rather than the usual 9 as the designated marquee player for United.

Yeah, making the points cap the scape goat is rubbish... It's not perfect but Euro-based players getting paid more than half the NBL's salary cap blaming the points cap is ridonkulous...

re: Kickert - Aren't the Points Cap and the Marquee rule apples and oranges though? Using Jules and AJ as examples, they both came back as 9s and are marquee level quality, I don't see why they'd change that rule unnecessarily? Would be good for some clarification though... I liked when Howie was in charge, they had that flash player signing tracker and included their points value, or he'd actually reply on the twitter to a query as to a specific players value...

Agree that Howie was quite accessible. Clubs and the league would do worse than posting on Hoops even if they adopted a policy of not being drawn into discussions. Similar to how SA clubs post intake and job announcements.

Looking at how many points some teams have still got, (as mentioned by the OP - Sydney 20 with 1 spot and 'Gong with 22 points, 2 spots) I think its safe to say the Points cap system is not stopping players from playing in the NBL

Corletto has never played a single game of football for Melbourne United so no loyalty bonus there.

So, anyone changing around their power rankings after this flurry of import signings?