Bruce?! As has been replied, surely McCarron is in the PG mix if we're ruling out the NBA options.

as I said, "Bruce??", "??" as in we are bloody short of local PG talent.
could just as easily said "Norton???"

Its all very well to keep saying that McCarron can play PG, and as I said hopefully we get some kind of NBL season and maybe Vicko plays him there all season and he rips it up.

Heck, at this point I'd be tempted to ask Damo to come out of retirement.

Up front, its not necessarily a world-beater, but at least we potentially have a few options.
But a lot hinges on getting guys like Kay and Landale back

You've got to go at some point but I dare say all of those guys bar Bogut will play on to the 2023 WC.

"You've got to go at some point but I dare say all of those guys bar Bogut will play on to the 2023 WC.

"

Mills and Ingles have said in an article recently they're eyeing 2024 Olympics. I'd expect to see Mills, Ingles, Baynes, Delly, Broekhoff, all go around to 2024 and be added (hopefully) by Simmons, Josh Green, Josh Giddey, Exum, Maker, Bolden, Bryce Cotton etc by then.

-

As for a potential non-NBA team

Bryce Cotton
Chris Goulding
Ryan Broekhoff (If not available Todd Blanchfield but have him on bench)
Brock Motum
Jock Landale (Duop Reath if not available)
Nathan Sobey
Deng Adel
Mitch Creek
Nick Kay
Andrew Bogut (Angus Brandt if retired)
Mitch McCarron
Xavier Cooks


I think that 'mostly' reads like a very good team but the lack of point guards remains a glaring issue. If Dellavedova leaves the NBA that helps a lot to plug that hole, of just having an adequate floor general. I don't buy Sobey or McCarron as being that, so in leiu of that in the team you'd want something of a 'point guard by committee' situation with this team.

Being that point guard is our weakest spot, I don't see much harm in maybe throwing a Josh Giddey at the end of the bench. If you have to start looking at McCarrons or Cadees to fill that spot, why not look at a kid with NBA wraps who genuinely should be on the next Olympic team?

Of course I do believe in the "win now" idea, but I'd be watching Giddey over his first season to see if he can make that leap.

I think you might have a slightly inflated view of the European teams. yes, they're very good. But they're good because they have synergy and play well together. Save for some stars who could be playing NBA, of course, (of which we have our own), their leagues are full of imports and don't have import restrictions. That means they are likely to have positions they're weak in when you take our their NBA contingent. I am not going to declare that we waltz to a medal but I also don't think we're walking in getting smashed by everyone. It's not just about the players but how you use them, and the Boomers have always been bigger than the sum of their parts.

Is there a reasonable change Delly is back here for next season? Or even if he is in Europe, there is a very very good chance on him not being in the NBA and therefore available. Broekhoff in a similar boat, but I would back him in to earn a contract again somewhere next year in the NBA. He is too good of a shooter for someone not to take a punt on.

In the absolute ideal scenario I would have:

Bogut
Landale
Broekhoff
Cotton
Delly

Brandt
Motum
Kay
Goulding
McCarron
Sobey
Creek

We say this team sucks but you have 5 or so players who are fringe NBA level and then the depth isn't half bad. Its not much different to some of the squads we were churning out in the 00's really. With a favourable draw there is no reason we cannot make semi's.

"Brandt is playing in b league, it doesn't compare to euroleague"

Brandt didnt suddenly become a bad player just because he plays in Japan now. Josh Childress played in Japan before Australia. Plenty of very good players drop in there these days. There is money over there.

I like Brandt, and did originally think of him, but it will come down to balance and availability.
The challenge he faces is that even without NBA talent, many Euro teams will still bring out legitimately big Centres.
I though Landale was very good at the WC. If he goes to the NBA, then that's another major dent.

With Damo retired, who's our best defensive Aussie guard?

^I thought you didn't want the job Andre?

Why the love for Xavier Cooks

It's not gonna matter because NBA starting in December, meaning we escape a clash between NBA and Olympics.

Hopefully the Boomers put a well balanced squad in. The boomers have finished 4th so many times. It's very stressful to watch them. Boomers may have a chance to finally medal if the NBA season is happening at the same time.

Are the Boomers playing in the Asia Cup qualifiers any soon, it’s November now??

Boomers may have a chance to finally medal if the NBA season is happening at the same time.

Are the Boomers playing in the Asia Cup qualifiers any soon, it's November now??

We're playing New Zealand, so it shouldn't be a huge issue.

". Boomers may have a chance to finally medal if the NBA season is happening at the same time."

Lol. Huh?!?!?!?!

"Are the Boomers playing in the Asia Cup qualifiers any soon, it's November now??
End of November I think."

I feel about the Asia Cup the way most Americans must feel about the Olympics - it's the most non-essential tournament for our team. We know we are the best team in Asia by a country mile, and if we come anything other than first, we must have really dropped the ball. I see no real benefit whatsoever in the tournament, for us, anyway.

I watched Guam vs. New Zealand on YouTube. Guam has some talented players. Can't believe Guam was not in the 2017 Fiba Asia Cup and Hong Kong, Qatar and India made the tournament instead.

The Boomers have to be prepared against Guam if they want to be serious. They need a more experiences squad at least as good as the squad who won the Asia Cup.

Here's the game between Guam vs. New Zealand.
Sad Wesley has retired but he has got a family to take care of.