36ers need to keep away, he's the last player we need with DJ already on the roster.

Feel for the guy. It is a business, but losing any job is a gut punch.

Bit of a sook, has he not seen the NBA? Happens to almost every player at some stage of their career. Also in a way this is a good thing for the league, because if Cairns can afford to do this, they must be doing well financially.

NZ will want a Import PF and most definitely without a Manbun.
His options look slim.

It's a bit of a horror situation for Trigger. I really feel for him, as he's been a great club man, here, and has started to dig himself roots in the community.

As far as a fit with another club, there's no spot for him in Adelaide unless they want to start Trigger - I can't see Majok Deng as a starter. Brisbane have Petrie who plays a very similar role (although I would rate Trigger more highly). They would have to use Mitch Young as their 11th man. Illawarra don't really have room unless Foreman plays at 3.

Melbourne could start Tai Wesley at 4 and use Trigger off the bench, but they have two bangers in Majok and Patton already on their roster. The Breakers could use him, moving Finn Delaney to their 11th man, which is not unreasonable to think.

Perth could use him, but will most likely get an import. Sydney could be a fit if they use Garlepp and Hill as back-ups in the 3 spot behind Newley, but it's a stretch.

It's really hard to see Trigger (and also Matt Burston) finding a job this year. :(

Baller#3, doesn't make it any less rough on him. There are significant transactional costs in selling out of a house, not to mention the hit he'd take to his confidence, and the state of rosters in the league. Teams would essentially be picking between him and a cheap import, I imagine.

In the NBA, you sell a house or move and those costs aren't outrageous relative to your income. In the NBL, it's a very different story. It's compounded by athletes late in their career needing to either have set themselves up or transition to the next phase - I don't envy anyone having to do that.

I feel for the guy but the house story reads the same if he was moved on next year, he'd still have a mortgage to pay, etc, etc. At least this way he's got a payout as well as the opportunity to get another contract.

As per the other Trigger post, it came down to him or Loughton, and Loughton with 2 years got the guernsey.

I haven't heard the Bairstow rumour going around, but I think it's likely Burston will be re-signed to back up Jawai.

Why only half pay? Is that a term of NBL contracts if a person is delisted?

Hey Ballbag#3,It's NOT the NBA is it?

I wouldn't read too much into a Taipans press release. They're hardly going to send our a release saying he was extremely pissed at the decision and now hates the club, are they??

I'm also curious at only paying out half what he's owed. Pretty shabby imo. He seems to be a victim of poor management - he didn't set the team up the way it is, but has taken a hit because of it. If you're going to cut him, at least do the right thing and pay him out.

Players union should get involved. He should be paid out in full.

@JacobHolmes - please respond.

Often clubs will write those press releases including the player quotes. They'll optionally then get the player to give it a cursory once over and approve it. It's not the case in all instances that the player actually makes those statements as quoted.

With cut players, one seemingly common method is that they pay out the difference between the discarded salary and what the player is able to get as a replacement. e.g., if Tragardh was on $100k and he can get a replacement gig for $60k in Perth, then Cairns would pay the $40k gap. So, getting paid half no matter what could suit him if he finds another job. If not, less so.

Maybe a team can get him as 11th man for $40k, subject to the points cap or whatever they're doing now.

My sources told me that 50% is his contractual entitlement, so nothing wrong with the payout figure. If anyone should cop the blame it's his manager for letting the contract go through as is.

I still think it's a pretty good deal given he should be a good chance to pick up another gig somewhere.

If that's the case and that's all he entitled to contractually, fair enough.

I still think it's rough he's being cut and only paid out 50% if, as the club has said, it's a "basketball decision" and being done so they can sign someone else. It's not his fault management signed all these guys to long-term contracts and it's now hamstringing them.

If he's contract states he gets 50%, then that's that. It's not poor form by the club at all. It's a business. Toughen up.

As stated, he would've been out of a job at end of the year also, so would make no difference really. At least now he can pursue another basketball gig, or a 9-5 and be financially better off possibly.

He could also keep the property and rent it out if he moves to another club. Makes it far easier on him then for mortgage repayments.

Did he expect they would keep playing him in a walking frame? Professional sport isn't a job for life and his best by date passed long ago.

I think what a few of you aren't getting is that the timing of being dropped is poor. OBVIOUSLY he would know he isn't going to play basketball forever (great pointing that out Captain Obvious), but when he was EXPECTING to play for Cairns this season and you set your life up around that for the next 12 months it's definitely rough to be suddenly dropped.
I love how you're all full of financial advice too...because it's just so easy!
If he decided to retire in a season or two he would have started to implement steps into place to prepare himself for that. Not just suddenly find himself in July out of a job when in reality it will be tough for him to get another gig elsewhere.
Also re: media release, well he has to say the right things politically! It looks in very poor taste if you bag out the club and as someone else pointed out they wouldn't have put the bad quotes in there anyway!!! It was the political thing to do and makes him look like the good guy and also will hold him in good stead to look like the type of person another club wouldn't mind signing.

So Trigger is still playing for the Marlins in the state league?? Seems a bit strange.

Why is that strange snooch? His contract with Marlins is independent of the Taipans gig.

What is strange is that he has only played one game with the Marlins all year, yet has had no issues taking a pay cheque from them.