I agree. The amount of casual nba fans that i have seen comment on the Facebook posts about this have largely been positive. Considering that really only european clubs have been invited in the past really tells the story. Clearly the NBA see the NBL as a true up and comer and whilst the Australian fan may see differently this tells the whole world that the NBL is now a legitimate professional league rather than a basket case.

Also people getting annoyed because of the teams representing us are short sited. The big markets are critical to the success of this league and sorry but cairns really offer little to the future of the league in terms of being a money maker.

That article was a massive tantrum and I doubt if Cairns were in the mix for an NBA game that he'd be complaining.

When it comes to Cairns not having a strength trainer, that's Cairns' problem. They're still in control of their own club and it isn't up to the NBL to hold up struggling teams anymore.

Speaking of which, the Townsville Crocs had to go.

If they were seriously that concerned about a strength trainer or whatever they wouldn't have given Jawai such a big contract.

Gerrans misses the point of the excercise.

This is to raise the NBL's profile with a clever partnership.

Whilst I get that Cairns could do with more money, its not like LK was going to inject the money he spent on the NBA jaunt if the NBA jaunt didn't happen.

The fact that Cairns can't afford Gordie, is their fault.

The fact that Cairns can't afford a Stregnth and Conditioning coach, is their fault, and not a reflection on LK's efforts to improve the NBL branding.

To be honest, the Wildcats put Nate through their own Stregnth and Conditioning coach and got the same outcome as Cairns (~ 20mpg) sans a coach.

$10 Adelaide and Illawarra stay classy.

But to be fair, Perth didn't whinge and nor did Cairns (this article was not able why Cairns didn't get invited).

Illawarra knows that 2 out of the 3 teams going over are owned by the NBL and the 3rd has ownership ties within the NBA so there is no point in trying to push for them to play in the NBA/NBL series.

I disagree, but JG is allowed to have his hot takes with extra provocative sauce, it's an opinion column after all.

The Taipans' aren't complaining, nor are the fans up here. $$ is what $$ is, living within your limits means you go without. That's the stark reality of a community funded team without a rich sugar daddy. (note: living in our means is why we're one of only 2 teams that haven't consistently run at a lost for the last 5 years..).

I think the NBA experience is good to give the brand some prestige, especially with those teams who need owners/more bums on seats. If the NBA trip was being treated like a panacea than i'd agree with JG, it doesn't solve many of the glaring in season issues from last year, but i think Larry and team can whistle while they walk.

And yes it would be nice some of that NBL luxury tax came our way, if only to subsidise the cost of beer....

In response to the OP... it's clickbait. That's what the Cairns Post has been reduced to.

On the issue of the games, I don't know that games vs. NBA clubs IN THE USA will do much to raise the profile here. But it will plant the seed for future games IN AUSTRALIA, which will be massive. Think of the Premier League clubs playing their games here, just on a slightly smaller scale.

Haven't heard the Taipans whinging about anything.

"I don't know that games vs. NBA clubs IN THE USA will do much to raise the profile here"

Interestingly, I noticed a quite a long article on the TV about this announcement, when I was passing through the Virgin Lounge on Tuesday. Probably Sky News. There does seem to have been a lot of positive coverage locally, which gives an indication of the promotional potential for the NBL product. At the end of the day, that's what this is about and it's working so far.

Getting absolutely murdered by NBA bench players is going to undo a lot of that though.

Spot on Kobe, getting towelled up will make the NBL look like a muppet league.
Real great publicity?