Sydney or Melbourne

Can't wait for this to drop... Hoops hasn't been the same since Marty left and one of SA favourite sons going elsewhere? Excellent :)

I wondered if it might be the Hawks. They have no SFs and Bevo could well be trying to go mostly-local again.

Brisbane?

Shame Adelaide couldn't get him back.

Why are you sure it won't be Adelaide?

Even though he'd only be $150k against the cap, do you think that the Hawks would really have the budget for Newls, especially after Rot (if they actually get him)?

Does anyone else follow Aussie Hoopla free agent tracker ? They've been suggesting Adelaide as the only club In discussions with Newley. Unlike other free agents who are linked to multiple teams.

Any chance this is a cruel joke on Adelaide fans ? (;

I wouldn't be too hung up on it. He isn't the player he used to be he's lost a fair bit of his athleticism and keep in mind he's been playing in Spain so whoever signs him would no doubt be overpaying him a fair bit to lure him back here.

Let another team pay him big money next season and then try and bring him back here on sensible money once expectations have been dampened by his output next season. I suspect he won't be a superstar level player here now.

He owes Adelaide one after signing with us previously and then opting out to go to Europe. My recollection is at the time he promised he would come back to the Sixers at the end of his career?

To be fair when he left the Crocs and signed with the 36ers he then got drafted by Houston and they told him to go and play in a better league. The circumstances of him 'turning his back on us' were totally understandable. That was nearly 10 years ago now I doubt too many would be waiting at the airport with pitchforks when he arrives for his first game here with another NBL team.

I don't think anyone had the pitchforks out when he opted out either. There was always an expectation that he might have opted out (even if the fans wished it not to be so). But he nevertheless left with impression he wanted to come back 'home' to the Sixers someday.

If the club hasn't made him an offer, or an acceptable offer, you certainly couldn't blame him signing with another NBL club. But I would be surprised if that was the case.

"That was nearly 10 years ago now"

Zodiac, that is scary to think. How quickly does time go!

Sydney

Only going on what ATF had said about the linked club not being Adelaide.

I do wonder if Zodiac might be right. Hard to get a feel for what he might contribute in the NBL based on his Boomers games.

Surely he'd overlap too much in Adelaide with Drmic, Creek and Teys?

Yeah, I agree Zodiac, I was never impressed with most of his Boomers efforts but to be fair I haven't followed him much overseas, still think he'd be getting overpaid by whichever sucker team shelled out the cash...

Oh wait, it might be the Kings?

*ahem*

OMG he's SO awesome! He will dominate the NBL next season! *whistles casually*

If you have an opportunity to sign Newley,worry about how he will fit in later. Dosen't seem to me to be a basis not to sign him. Must of been outdone by a rival.

Hard to be critical without knowing what they were up against but i feel as if an opportunity may have Been missed here.

So Sydney have a handy line-up with still potentially two imports (or one and another marquee) to come.

Khazzouh/Hill
Import/Garlepp
Newley/??
Lisch/??
Import/Cadee

If those imports can defend this team is looking pretty good.

Personally, I can't wait for the season to start.

Based on the projected rosters, I've seen, you can't help but notice that the increased strength of each lineup and hence the increased strength of the overall league.

Case in point, from memory Cadee and Garlepp were starters last season.

This year, it looks like they will come off the bench.

So Sydney have a handy line-up with still potentially two imports (or one and another marquee)

Hopefully you're right MACDUB. The league has been improving over the past four years now, ever since GC folded and their players were distributed amongst the other teams, hopefully it will take another step forward this season.

Newley will be a star in the NBL again. If anything he brings a far more rounded game now than he used to have 10 years ago.

He is now an excellent defender and an intelligent all-round player. He still can take the ball to the hole in international ball from time-to-time, so I don't see how he wouldn't do that even more often in our NBL.

His shot hasn't looked all that great for the Boomers lately, but I understand that he has a good three point percentage in Spain. He is a cult hero with Gran Canaria, so obviously he is doing something over there.

I think his biggest affect for the Kings will be his all-in defense causing fastbreak opportunities. He is going to be worth his money, and I am glad that these new salary cap changes have so far yielded both Newley, and most likely, David Anderson.

Looks like the NBL will continue to step up on court.

I think the article suggests the 36ers were likely to get Newley. Probably explains their quiet activity to date.

Could a silverlining be it opens the door for Steindl plus two Imports ? I still like the idea of Steindl and Drmic to sspace the floor.

Great signing for wherever he ends up. If it's Adelaide, seems to be a pretty fit next to a guard like Randle too, especially on the defensive end.

OK, started posting that before the Sydney confirmation... wow.

Kings would of offered him a good amount of cash i assume.

Sydney are going to be deep.

I'm with Zodiac....think his best is past him. NBL is a fast league and I wonder whether he will be able to keep up?

Whether or not it was an opportunity lost depends on how much Sydney signed him for...I think sometimes teams/fans get blinded by the memory of how good a player used to be and the fact they have been playing in Europe for x years.

I tend to think he will have a slightly better impact than David Barlow but nowhere near the hype this is generating.

I for one am happy the 36ers didn't overpay for his signature.

He'll be a very good player in the way guys like Damian Martin, Mika Vukona and Matt Knight are. He'll do his job well at both ends and compete hard. Great player to have on any team, very underrated for the Boomers.

He was always a better player than Barlow. I'd expect him to be a step above Barlow was during his return, at least...

Why are people concerned about what the club may have paid for him?

Yes but we say it like the club isn't aware. Newley is a returning local boomer and is worth whatever rivals are willing to pay him. If Adelaide got close, I'm sure they knew what they were doing in terms of risk.

It's a shame he won't be running around in blue but as i said it kind of explains the clubs behind the scenes approach to recruiting. Hopefuly this sets up higher hopes for imports and maybe stenidl knowing there is more cash to go round.

Cash is of concern for a number of reasons.

With the 3 import rule it makes it even more interesting.

There would come a point where you would have to go...I can get equal standard for less.

Let's say Newley is getting $300K at Sydney. Considering his age, position, abilities, etc you would likely be able to get an import of similar ilk for $250K.

That's 50K you can upgrade elsewhere, there by making yourself a stronger team.

Another example...compare signing Newley for $300K or Steindl for $200K and upgrade your other import another $100K.

I know which direction I would be taking...

Good luck to Newls, but it will be a somewhat sour taste to see him suiting up elsewhere again.

With the amount of cash they're shelling out, I wonder how many imports the Kings plan on running this year. I wouldn't be shocked if it's just 1, and keep either Cadee or Garlepp as the starters.

Yes cash scenario is understood. The club would obviously be well aware. Newley returning to Adelaide was about more than just his ability. Btw I'm not sure he has declined that much at just 31.

I know for a fact that Adelaide never made an offer to Newley.

Tom perhaps they didn't but they might have at least talked to him. I don't think the Sixers should have payed huge amounts for him anyway. So I am fine with Sydney getting him. Great to have him back in the league.

Newley and David Anderson (TBC) back in the league. Awesome!

Isn't (Jeromie) Hill a 3, maybe a stretch 4? Why listed as a backup to Kazzouh?

"Another example...compare signing Newley for $300K or Steindl for $200K and upgrade your other import another $100K."
If either Newley is on $300k or Steindl is on $200k this league will fold very quickly.

So we will get to see the amount he is on next season... That's gonna be momentarily interesting!

Perth still very quiet this off season!

So who will make more of an impact this season Andersen or Newley?

...we assume. Has anyone actually seen any concrete numbers, because all I'm hearing are assumption on all these big contracts.

The Steindl assumption sounds a bit silly to me but I can't imagine Newley would come back for anything less than $300k per.

Perhaps Newley wasn't making anywhere near as much in Spain as we thought or alternatively he was not going to be retained with GC or picked up by another team?

I'm not going to lie - it would be pretty damn hard for me to leave Gran Canaria, but can understand wanting to come back home.

Anon #587056...those figures were just examples for the case of debate.

However, one would assume Newley would be at or around that figure?!

Macdub,

There isn't the kind of money floating around in Europe as there once was which is part of the reason why the NBL is improving as a destination but only a couple of years ago Boti Nagy said Newley was on $800k+ a year at Gran Canaria.

I don't know about the situation at Gran Canaria, but there's often a big difference between what a guy is 'on' in Europe versus what he gets in the bank. Spanish league is a high caliber league, so maybe that's not generally the case there, though.

I'd think a combination of a lesser salary in EU now that he's on the wrong side of 30, plus the ability to play back home in Australia would be the motivators. I don't know what $$$ he is on, but $300k is an assumption, especially without knowing what sort of money he could have expected to earn over in Spain this coming season.

Newley might get $300k, but can only imagine someone is inventing figures for Steindl at $200k. $100k maybe.