I feel like Gibson is better at the point. At the same time if you have a shooting guard who uses the ball a lot then Gibson still wont have it all that often.

All things considered (salary, points value, ability, production, personality) Creek is good value. He is much better suited to the 3 in my opinion as he isn't a good enough shooter or ball handler for the 2. I think Creek will take another step forward this coming season and is a future captain of the club.

Gibson is a bit of a tweener for mine. He is neither a good 2 man or 1 man but is serviceable in either. He isn't a good enough shooter for the 2, nor is he capable of creating his own shot. As for the point he is a good distributor but isn't a good enough decision or play maker under pressure which is not what you want from your point guard.

Gibson's strengths have always been being able to understand and learn the team plays and to play within that system whilst being a reasonable defender.

Gibson is safer to play at the 2 and it is for those reasons above Joey always picks point guards to pair with him.

I think for the cash he is on and with the 3 import rule likely to come in you can get more for less so would not be fussed if he left for Brisbane as widely reported.

Gibson is the king of being merely 'solid'. He is so addicted to being solid that you will find he never tries to do anything in particular too well. He is just a cog in the machine and over time that cogs importance has begun to wane considerably, as it disappears more often than it appears.

Creek is exactly as described. He is an athletic player but he doesn't have a great deal of talent to dress around the athleticism. Just when you start to think it is his break-out year he falls back into that 'athletic role player' niche and never breaks free. For someone who has rare athletic gifts in the league it is a shame he never gets the rest of it to gel. A consistent outside shot would see him become a starter on most teams.

Creek is one of those players who makes some good outside shots, but just doesn't take very many of them. So I'm never quite sure if he could be a more prolific scorer if he took more shots, or whether we should be grateful he doesn't?

So did anyone bother to go watch Creek play last night ?

Creek doesn't even necessarily need a jump-shot. If he had a nice handle on him, and could learn to drive in anything but a straight line he could be devastating using the gap defenders give him to get in the lane. Combine that with good decision making with the shot/pass decision once in the lane and he could be a dominating three man in the mold of Hodge or Tucker in this league.

But he doesn't have either. He seems content to be a athletic role player. Which is a shame. I feel a bit dirty ripping into behind the mask of the internet because he's a great guy, and I would love to be in his position to be getting paid for ten years running the lanes in the NBL, but if I was him I sure as hell have worked my butt off day in and day out to get better, and it doesn't seem like he has applied himself in the areas of the game he lacks the most.

It's a big problem with the culture of the NBL. In the NBA you often see players add noticeable improvements to their game each off-season, but in Australia a lot of guys stop developing from about the under 18/under 20 level in terms of their skill-set. I'm sure this is systematic of the fact that there's not as much money and our guys need to spend x amount of hours at school visits etc, but it does make the league somewhat stale at times.

Still love the NBL though, just some hard truths in my opinion.

We'll see what the off season brings to players like Creek, Sobey and Teys. Maybe where they are at will bring new skills and mindset. We know what Europe did for DJ, but it fell away after his pneumonia and surgery recovery. Hopefully he'll come back with some more of that attitude he brought last season before getting sick.

I agree with much of what has been said. Happy to let Gibson go home to Brisbane if he wants to. Has been a solid player for us and provided experience and leadership on a team that was sorely lacking for several years. However, seems past his best and I would probably rather spend the money he would command on a decent import or a guy like Madgen if he wanted to come home.

I really like Creek and I hope he wants to stay in basketball (rumours about football seem persistent). Could absolutely be a future captain of the 36ers if he continues to develop his game. Agree that he is limited due to lack of jump-shot, but has some good skills and has shown growth in his skill level and decision making. I think we can afford to be a bit patient with him as he is still only 23. He won't really be at his peak for another 5 years! I personally think he has more future value than anyone on the roster not named DJ.

I didn't realise he was only 23. Okay, maybe he does have some upside yet. That's around the age of an NBA rookie, and hes been here for ages it seems.

First game up last night for Mitch with a few new players moved in to the team including himself. Every player put their name on the scoreboard and had a run. Mitch posted good stats for a team that had 11 players on the court over the game. Admittedly this is probably the bottom opposition for the season but after a slow start getting everyone in to the game it was very entertaining and some great team work led by Creek and Johns. More to come and should post some good stats. Next week is against Norwood who took out Premier League last year so that will be interesting to see the match ups. Mitch has a life in Adelaide, his PT business and off season commitments to the community side of the Sixers so staying here suits and the best of luck to him. I'm sure others are here still working on the game with Joey who along with his assistants have also made a great life for themselves. Tigers also has York as Womens coach and with her relationship with the Lightning and assisting the Sixers maybe this is a better move than people think. Stats from the game last night below. Mitch posting 33 points and match rating of 45. Not too shabby.

http://www.fibalivestats.com/matches/12/17/55/03/175Rbipn8hTc/

Creek and Waxy have potential because of their athleticism.

Sobey and Teys are bums.

Gibson is a joke. Hasn't broken a sweat for years.....sadly.

Waxy's the wrong side of 30 to have potential.

Gibson is from Tasmania, although he did spend several seasons at Brisbane and later Gold Coast.
To me, once he gets past being a starter, he'll make a good backup. He's a bit of a tweener, good but not great. Given the choice I would probably have him at point, with a high-scoring import in the 2.

Creek is only 23, somebody must seem some more potential there, to name him in the extended Boomers squad?

"It's a big problem with the culture of the NBL. In the NBA you often see players add noticeable improvements to their game each off-season, but in Australia a lot of guys stop developing from about the under 18/under 20 level in terms of their skill-set. I'm sure this is systematic of the fact that there's not as much money and our guys need to spend x amount of hours at school visits etc, but it does make the league somewhat stale at times."

Couldn't disagree more. Most players hit their best basketball in their late 20s, and most aren't in the NBL until early to mid 20s, to say they stop developing at U18 or U20 seems well off the mark to me.

Hi Paul - Would love you to throw up a few examples of guys who have increased their skill-set significantly once in the NBL. I'm open to changing my mindset on this, please prove me wrong.

I don't mean settling into the pace or physicality, but genuine improvement that would show up on a scouting report.

I've always felt too many Nbl players hit a plateau in their early 20s and never really get much better. I'd say a lot of guys from that oz97 gold medal team fit into that category. Trahair, McGregor Dwight. All good players, obviously, but did any of them get much better from where they were at that point? It can be argued that many had expectations that were too high but that's a different story.

I would like to see some sort of Potential Boomers development program in the nbl off season. Maybe include some tours, but largely focus on working on weaknesses etc. Someone like Goorjian would be perfect to head up a program like that and perhaps even have him as a consultant for developing any young Aussies BA identifies even throughout the season.

ROFLcopter is a BUM ! yep, I'm laughing, that is so funny. Bloody Unhappy Man.

Would love you to throw up a few examples of guys who have increased their skill-set significantly once in the NBL.

Off the top of my head I'll pick one from each current team who fits this bill - Goulding, DJ, Webster, D Martin, R Martin, Steindl, Gliddon and Garlepp - all guys whose skillsets have improved once in the NBL.

From times gone by, off the top of my head - Jason Smith, Mackinnon, Stiff, S Black, CJ Bruton, Nielsen, Rogers, Rillie, Harvey - man you could go on and on. All guys whose skill sets improved once in the NBL and who grew into very good players the older they got.

From memory, John Rillie peaked later than you would expect yeah? He was always dangerous, always a threat, but never became a franchise level talent until into his 30s yeah?

I remember thinking that it had taken him a long time to finally reach his potential

To get better and improve those skills you need to get to the next level once you hit your 20's isn't easy in a pro or semi-pro team when you have to fit into a system and possibly work as well.

Even a pro has to make extraordinary sacrifices in some cases, I will present Jeremy LIN as an example.

Had to leave the NBA altogether and seek specific and dynamic training in Asia with one coach to work on his weaknesses and develop an NBA game, then came back and with opportunity took it to the next level.

Opportunity may also be the issue, especially with imports taking on more starting spots and players like Creek or Gibson playing roles...

So, assuming you go with two new imports as Joey suggested, and Gibson leaves, is Creek good enough to hold down a starting spot?
EG:
Johnson
Import PF
Creek
Import SG
Randle

Or would you try to find another local guard to replace Gibson, and go with a SF for your import?

Or would you go back to Joey's "fall-back" formula, leave Petrie starting and recruit import 2 AND 3?

Any chance you can get Motum back?
Pick the right pair of imports to accompany him, DJ, and Randle, and you would have a kickass line-up, not mention decent depth on the bench with Petrie, Creek, Sobey, and Teys.

I reckon they've spent enough on Randle that they'll need to be shrewd with the rest of the roster. Which would likely rule out guys like Motum. Sure there's probably a higher cap, but I doubt the club have loads to spend. Three import allowance and some decent Aussies locked in will be useful.

On topic, I think local guards who play D are very, very useful but Gibson has obviously been disinterested enough that he should move on (and clearly has mentally already).

Creek is still really young and showed some good stuff late in the season. Getting to the line and converting is handy. Whether he starts or not may depend on what else they can get.

I do think they need an import big as Hodgson didn't progress and Walker lacks height.

Yeah, I think that's what Joey suggested, that the two remaining imports would be cheaper guys out of college, so yeah probably rule out Motum, unless you get some major sponsorship.