Looks like someone who will be in the rotation. Clearly can shoot the rock

Although he only played 6 games in Spain and minimal court time, actually getting picked up as an import in Spanish Div 1 is an impressive feat

[Stephens is the latest signing for the Phoenix and joins a growing roster including Mitch Creek, Tai Wesley, Kyle Adnam, Adam Gibson, Dane Pineau and Ben Madgen.]

What happened to that other young athletic guy who had been playing in college, whowe name escapes me right now?

Chima Moneke....

Dan Trist also signed LV.

If they saw Chima Moneke at the 3 on 3 they've probably ripped the contract up.

Moneke has been plating D2 in France. Trist playing D2 in Spain. Similar, maybe slightly above, NBL1 standard.

Oh yeah- Trist to

So they basically need an import 5 and an import 1 to round out the roster

Import*/Trist
Wesley*/Pineau
Creek/Stephens/Moneke
Madgen/Gibson
Import*/Adnam

Good line up, IF they get two good imports and Creek plays.

Creek is crucial- their back up bigs aren't super impressive, and Creek can play some 4

Creek won't be playing for SEM he's said Minnesota are so keen on re-signing him they've asked him to go back over super early in May to start working with their guys.

Yeah - Creek will not suit up for Phoenix if things pan out.

Oh boy, I am so old. I remember Everette well. Particularly a baseline dunk he did in Sydney over a few of their big boys. Hope his son is half as good!

The one where Everette kind of kicked off of the guy after the dunk?

Isn't Stephens a wing player.
Gibson and Adnam are the point guards.
I think the roster is looking on at this point but can't see the big three teams being challenged just yet.
They need a point import of Ware quality to be competitive.

Good discussion on Creek's situation on the latest ep of Aussie Hoopla, after listening to that I'm convinced we'll never see him at SEM.

"Oh boy, I am so old." Yes you are :)

Is Stephens essentially Creek insurance? I'm very skeptical of their big man rotation - Trist/Pineau are both cast-offs. Even if they go after Boone.

That 3p% is intriguing. Santamaria with the steal.

Don't know which Aussie they can target to fill Creek's spot - particularly in minutes and to cover the 3/4.

Good to see a mix of expedience and youth.
Stephens might not be a star, yet, but he would appear to be no slouch either.

It always tough assembling a good local contingent, especially so being a new team and rookie coach starting from scratch.
By and large I think they have done ok, but Creek and Wesley are the lynch-pins.

I honestly don't know what to make of the Creek signing. Maybe he's just doing his mate a solid, as a phantom signing to generate interest, and they already have plan B in the pipeline. Or perhaps at the time he genuinely thought he wouldn't get picked up in the NBA. Either way, if he's unlikely to return they need to have that plan B.

Madgen should still be a starter, and if they get Creek, and can get Wesley naturalised, then add 3 imports and they have a solid 6 man rotation. But if they are depending on Madgen, Wesley, and two imports, then they will be in trouble.

"Moneke has been plating D2 in France. Trist playing D2 in Spain. Similar, maybe slightly above, NBL1 standard."

Haven't followed it for while, but unless it's dropped away D2 in Spain is a good competition, definitely better than NBL1, I reckon it would be similar or even a little better than NZ NBL.

They already have Wesley, who for now remains an import.

Nobody could possibly believe that Adnam or Gibson is good enough to start, so they are going to need a PG.

Would definitely flip Pineau and Trist as no way Dane is mobile enough to go against 4s in NBL and Trist showed he wasn't up to playing the 5 at United already... Interesting that they went with BOTH of those players, as I would have guessed even with an import 5, they'd have wanted a much more quality back up 4/5...

They'll need a really good Plan B if Creek doesn't come back... I don't really follow NBA, what do we think the cut off date would be for Creek to sign with an NBA team and notify SEM? With Summer League not finishing until late July, that's close to pushing it to sign someone of equal talent (I know, still a couple of months from NBL tip off, but we've seen how bad starts can impact a teams season by the end, especially when it's so close).