Joey Wrights choice in imports continue to boggle the mind. Other than making various obvious, tried and true recruits like Jamar Wilson and Gary Ervin, he makes some pretty questionable decisions on new guys.

McNeail looks like a poor mans Jamar. Ebi Ere is past his prime by atleast 6 years. What is the guy thinking? If we have to overlook Jawai to get an aging Ere I will be pretty pissed off. Its like Joey purposely wants to get an undermanned team to prove that he can take anyone to the play offs.

It does look like Jawai will be in the NBL somewhere after the rumours and Damian Martin's radio interview, but sceptical that it will be Adelaide.

"Ebi Ere is past his prime by atleast 6 years."

How many times have you watched him play in the past six years?

Does anyone get the feeling that these new owners are being tight asses? Might aswell have kept Parker, Simmons and the other guy.

If they were being tight they wouldve asked Joey to txt Ebe, and email Mcneale and not bother sending him to Vegas.... for budget imports. But Im very sceptical on his choices. And although imports dont usually last on one team for too long these days, at 34, you won't get much more than 2 years out of Ebe...

GWB when are you going to start being realistic? "Joey Wrights choice in imports continue to boggle the mind", "he makes some pretty questionable decisions on new guys."

Jarrid Frye was on probably 70k and they couldn't spend more due to the salary cap. What other amazing future NBA import are you going to get for that amount? For the money he was good enough but it was more important to give Creek more minutes so he was cut.

Daequon Montreal was probably on similar money to Frye if not less. Once again what amazing future NBA import are you going to get for that money? The owners weren't going to go over the salary cap when they had a decent team already. Do you expect the owners to lose another $100k? You won't even buy season tickets!

So no Wrights decision with the second imports have not been bad. He has selected the best he could with the little money he could spend on them.

Well schenshers gone so theres a huge chunk of money saved.

Crawford was on minimum. Motum replaced Montreal, so his deal was backloaded. Johnson came in late and was replacing Anthony. You'd say his arrangement was backloaded too to make that work. And they've added Walker.

Where's the huge chunk of money again?

They would've spent Schenscher money and more to get Johnson for a full season. Wilson and Motum would get them the two imports. The rest is Crawford, Daly and Anthony out for Sobey, Hodgson and Walker - probably not a budget downgrade there.

They only have 10 roster spots outside of development players, unfortunately. (Unless it has changed and I have missed something?).

I'd rather Jawai over Ere

36ers don't pay for joey to go to vegas, he pays his own way, why do you think he does so many country clinics.

Somebody could get killed , if they run into him.

Any questioning of Joey's recruitment needs to be tempered by the reality of the 36ers budget - which would be one of the lowest in the league. Tough to bring in a top level recruit when you can only offer peanuts...

Or the fact that after taking over the worst team in the league over the three seasons prior he has taken them to the GF and SF.

The Captain why do you assume it is one of the lowest in the league? They have spent as close to the cap as possible the last 3 seasons (including the up coming season). Therefore, only teams that are using the marquee player would be spending more. Was that only Melbourne last season?

36ers spend close to the lowest in the league on imports. We have spent the money on our Aussie core of players.

Exactly Dave. People need to start realising this.

Not sure I'd be that excited about getting Jawai. He'd be a big risk, given his injuries and all the excess weight he seems unable to shed. He's also a liability on defence, something the Sixers do not need more of!

"36ers spend close to the lowest in the league on imports. We have spent the money on our Aussie core of players."

Yep. Wilson came to us from Cairns, where he spent the season coming off the bench and didn't have a great year. He also didn't appear to have many other suitors, so he would have come cheaply
Montreal would have been pretty much our cheapest player. He was playing SEABL for 3 years or so before he got a gig with us.
Frye would have have been on bugger all too.
Massingale spent years hoping for a chance. Finally got it. Another very cheap import.
Ervin apparently wasn't a particularly expensive import (especially for his output).

Then we've lost Schenscher who was pretty much our most expensive player (behind maybe Gibbo). Motum was heavily backloaded, which he didn't pick up, so we basically got him for Montreal's money for that season. Sobey was a development player, would be earning maybe slightly more than Daly money. Hodgson is also someone who's never been in the league. Walker isn't a high profile recruit. Probably isn't getting any/much more than BJ was. DJ was backloaded, so probably takes up the majority of the money we were paying Schenscher. McNeail looks like your classic second import. We wouldn't be paying him any more than Wilson, if we are even paying that.

Then there's the Marquee Player rule, that as far as we know, we haven't dipped into yet this year, likely didn't last year either.
Money wise, we can afford Jawai if he wants to come here (if we dip into the Marquee Rule). Points wise, not sure how it fits, unless we don't get the second import, or move Sobey/Hodgson to 11th man (and somehow make that not count).

We have a few very good Aussies playing for us. Perth and NZ have proven that the best system is to get a solid local nucleus, then complement that with the imports. Imports come and go, most don't stay more than 1 year, 2 years sometimes, more than that very rarely. It's the Aussies that make or break a team long term. I'm happy investing in Gibbo, Petrie, DJ and Creek and building around them as the focal point. If we can add Jawai and Walker to that already strong local group, that's a very competitive list. Even if we continue down the 1 import road that we have the last couple years.

I think that a bruiser like Jawai is something we are lacking in this years roster. But we need a wing scorer at the 2 or 3 (McNeaile or Creek off the bench). There is some reshuffling necessary points wise to fix it though.

We have the money to do it, Gibbo is on less then he was last season in an effort to get a more lucrative long term deal next year. Petrie is on less on his new 3 year deal and Walker is on below average money. Hodgy, Sobey and McNeaile would be all under 100k.

If we managed to land Jawai I would be happy with Ere as the 2nd import or someone in his price range. Damian Martin said he was playing in the NBL next season to get in shape and prove himself for the Olympics so he would want to be starting. This lineup would be a contender comparing to other teams:

Jawai / Hodgson
Johnson / Petrie
Creek / Walker
Import* / Teys
Gibson / McNeaile*

Surprisingly the team above fits under the points cap too, i couldnt beleive it, i thought we couldnt get 2 imports and Jawai.

Jawai (9)
Hodgson or Sobey (3)
Johnson (8)
Petrie (8)
Creek (4)
Walker (5)
Ere (10)
Teys (5)
Gibson (7)
McNeill (10)

(Per Pickandroll.com.au free agency tracker)

Adds upto 69 points

So they just have to squeeze out Hodgson or Sobey to be a training player or release completely which is unlucky for them but if you can get Jawai you'd do it imo.

The issue would be $$$ available both in terms of budget from the owners and the salary cap, if Jawai and Ere are happy to play for around $150-200k between them, then its probably acheivable under the salary cap.

Would be a very exciting team if they put it together.

Jawai would give them a very different look, but if he can get to good form by seasons end could be one of the best and most damaging bigs in the league.

Nice team Sixers Fan! If Jawai is signed, my whole thoughts on Ere flip and I feel he becomes a really good addition. If he can still put the ball in the hoop I'm all for it.

Thats what i was thinking, unless one of them comes in very cheap near minimum.

If Jawai isnt worried about money, has made enough playing Euroleague and just wants a NBL season to get back on his feet before heading back to Euroleague he may be willing to, but yea not sure he would be willing to do that, only few ever are.

Ere comes cheaper than you think. He's old, talent slowly fading and doing a favor for old mate Joey.

Yea exactly, its doubtful, if he wants a year in the NBL as Martin apparently mentioned on the radio, he would have to come reasonably cheap though, as barring a team letting a import go there isnt much $$$ left in the NBL.

The sixers have the points and a little money left, if they are happy to go with just one import and Ebi isnt actually signed they may even be able to offer the best $$$ deal, but if not, im not sure where Jawai is going to get major NBL $$$ from without teams cutting imports.

The sixers at the very least have the points cap space to do it with only having to let Sobey or Hodgson go, so its possible for us to do it without making a major roster sacrifice. And would give us an awesome line up.

We still look good if we had to sacrifice a import for him, to make it work a bit more $$ wise, but itd be even better if we didnt.

I think if he wants to play NBL it will come down to who he thinks has the best playing opportunity for him/ where he wants to live as $$$ wise there isnt much out there so its probably not the deciding factor.

If he is after the biggest deal he will head back overseas and not play NBL.

Exactly Jonno, it's common knowledge he wants to play in Rio and the NBL is the best place for him to do that. Adelaide have the points and the money to pull it off and he is keen so the ball's in Joey's court. If he wants to keep up with the talent surge in the NBL he needs to do it.

If Ere is pricing himself out of the equation with Jawai then there is someone else out there who can fit the bill. Ere would be good though. A perimeter scorer is all we lack after Jawai.

If the Sixers had of known Jawai was available they probably wouldn't have signed one out of Sobey, Walker or Hodgson. As realistically it is Jawai and a budget import.

Exactly Jonno, it's common knowledge he wants to play in Rio and the NBL is the best place for him to do that.

Is it though? it's always been my impression that playing in the NBL is a surefire way to NOT make the national team. With the exception of Gibson or Martin, the selectors seem to have the view that NBL players aren't good enough. If it's between an international player and an NBL player, they will go for the international. Unless Jawai dominates here, he could very well lose his spot.

I dont think there is any prejudice against NBL, I just think the pick the players they think are best; right or wrong.

Playing in the Nbl is the best decision for Nate if he gets more time , rather then just playing a role on a Europeans bench I guess.

Gibbo has always played well in my opinion. Plays defence, doesn't turn it over and only shoots high percentage shots. That's all you want from the 3rd string 10 minute a game PG

Anonymous, almost all of the Tall Blacks are NBL so to say few NBL players are international quality is not true. Ekene Ibekwe plays for Nigeria, btw.

As for Gibson, he has been nothing but solid in the NBL and internationally. Dave summed it up nicely. I have not seen a drop in the teams play when Delly goes off and Gibson comes on. The only issue I find with Gibson is sometimes he watches the game more than really stamps his foot on it. But when he does put in a full effort, he goes for the type of games that saw him almost triple double twice in a row last season.