The Club will make a full statement in due course including potentially a new role within the club for Ninnis.

==

Wow! What?!

Adelaide doing Adelaide things.

Classic.

At least it's never dull in 36ers land.

Gee I recall saying after all these assistant coach's were hired that his seat would be feeling a little uncomfortable.....

This just beggars belief! They just gave him a new contract! What the fuck are they doing? They just had a great off-season. The club had stability, two star Australians and two high quality imports. I was actually feeling positive about our chances for the first time in years and now they go and do this? I'm not sure this is going to fly with the SA basketball community. Gut reaction is I want to call the club and demand a refund on my season tickets!

For the first time in years it looked like we were bordering on being a competent organisation heading in to a season. Optimism evaporated. Can't see how this can be anything but maximum negative press when you make such a song and dance about bringing in the local hero to take charge. I can't see how the members will take the news in any positive light.
I haven't been a ticket holder for a few seasons (mostly due to logistics) but was tempted to make it work this season with the way we were travelling. Glad I didn't.

I wish i could say i was shocked but what else do we expect 2 months out from season.

So what did he say/do that got the owners nose out of joint?

They talked about him getting another role inside the organisation (which sounds like just a BS role cause they have to pay him still), but something has to have happened for them to suddenly decide he ain't the guy.

Wtf wtf

Never change, 36ers.

I will wait for the full story before saying too much, but those of us who were mocked for flagging conerns about the assistants process...

Unless there is a genuinly legitmate reason, this has to be one of the most ludicrous things this club could do!

Mike Wells has a kind of Conner Henry feel too...

Overdribbling?

Pretty sad to be fair. Sixers GM really preaching in recent months about the SA focus for the club, from DPs to key signings and presumably was a factor in retaining Ninnis.

Now let's bring in 2 international coaches with no previous connection to the club or state...

Any fraction of goodwill established by Scott & Kubank for the 36ers basketball community in SA has now been completely eroded.

The end outcome is we probably end up with a better head coach, but this management always finds a way to do things in the stupidest way possible
Wells's coaching resume is pretty impressive (by NBL coach standards), so it did seem a bit weird he decided to come over here to be Scott Ninnis's assistant coach

"Code Sports has been told Ninnis was angered when the 36ers moved to recruit a veteran assistant in the offseason and blocked his attempts to appoint long-time assistant and former teammate Graham Kubank in the role.
The Sixers had courted Illawarra championship coach and former Boomers' mentor Brendan Joyce, before Wells - a 30-year veteran with stints at six NBA clubs - was appointed to the role.
Code Sports has phoned Ninnis this morning"

Maybe reached a breaking point between Ninnis and the assistants and gave a "it's them or me?" ultimatum?

Scott Ninnis has signed a multi-year deal to remain as head coach of the Adelaide 36ers, sources told ESPN.

It's a straight two-year deal for Ninnis - with no options on the second season; "we're backing him," a high-ranking 36ers executive told ESPN - who had an 8-7 record as interim head coach over the 2023-24 NBL season.

Hendo8888, we don't know that. American coaches have been a mixed bag, and not automatically more suited to NBL basketball than less credentialed locals.

Issue is stability. If it was Gleeson for five years, then it would feel a bit more like 'Sorry Scott, just businnes.'

Don't forget that a large part of retaining DJ and Humphries was due to Ninnis. It really has the capacity to destablise the players, and piss off the fans.

This is exactly why Ninnis deserved a go with Kubank.

My my my. Sixers, you've done it again.

All the eggs in the one (NBA-style of play) basket, eh?

They're back to 2 now I believe, they were on 3 last year (4 for half a year if you count Ninnis) but I think all of Wright, Henry and Bruton's deals ended last year.

Lmao, oh boy.

Don't forget that a large part of retaining DJ and Humphries was due to Ninnis. It really has the capacity to destablise the players, and piss off the fans.

This is exactly why Ninnis deserved a go with Kubank.

Shakes, I don't even think it's a gamble in the eyes of the managment though. I think it's just a dumb, vanity related decision.

"we're backing him,"

Lol.

Unbelievable stuff - they should have just hired Kubank as assistant if that's the situation.

Why hire someone as a head coach and then take away control?!

You have to feel for Ninnis considering they sign him for a 2 year period and then flick him 2 months from start of season.

Professional Sport can be heart breaking as other coaches will tell you.

Just because this new bloke has NBA experience etc does not mean he can do the job out here.

Good luck Adelaide,you need it.

How must the players feel.

Ninnis has been a loyal Adelaide person and to say he will be given another position within the organisation is a slap in the face.

He should tell them to shove it where the sun does not shine.

KET, I think it has something to do with a needless shift by some NBL clubs to employ GMs like they do in most American sports, and who make decisions above the coach like selecting the team and staff. It really isn't necessary in the NBL, and can be quite pretentious.

I will play devils advocate on this one.

An import is not up to it everyone screams for him to be gone. They don't say "No he is a good guy let's keep him".

Similarly if Exum was released and wanted to come to the Sixers and the Sixers had to release Marshall, the fans would not say "Nah we good with Marshall as he is a local"

If Ninnis was hired and then Goorjian wanted the job the majority of fans wouldn't say "No we are keeping Ninnis". The club probably feels Wells is that much better than Ninnis. Ninnis still gets paid and the club get presumably a better coach. It really is not the end of the world, burn your tickets that the fans are making it out to be.

Interesting points, but it's hard to see how you can come to the conclusion that Wells is a better coach in the NBL than Ninnis after he's taken training for a week. Plenty of highly-regarded OS coaches have come to the NBL and not been successful. Ninnis at least had some good games under his belt from last season.

At this juncture, so close to the season, I think fans would still be pretty browned off about a change to Goorj. And lets not forget, we were in the running for Goorj but he pulled himself out of the race (allegedly) out of respect for Ninnis.

Don't believe Goorjian's BS spin he still interviewed for the job.

So looks like we're going to be paying multiple HC's again under this owner. Joey Wright fired in 2020 with 2 years to go on his deal, Conner Henry then fired in 2021 with one guaranteed year left on his deal so in 2021-22 we were paying three HC's including CJ.

At least CJ's contract ended last season! So only going to be paying two HC's for the next couple of years, assuming Wells doesn't get fired which could happen next week. Smh.

Follow the money, owner wants out, assistant US coach has US contacts, tells owners that it'll happen and bingo. Just a theory but maybe.

SixersFan, that analogy does not really hold up though. A lesser player making way for a superior player is usually an objective move that happens in season with more seasonal context. There is no basis as to why Ninnis was let go only a few months into both a new contract and pre-season. It would be different if Adelaide were 0 and 15 in the new season, and there was more evidence as to why the change was necessary. Again, they haven't gotten Gleeson or Goorjian though. I agree, you can't just feel sorry for someone because they are a nice guy, but I don't think that is actually what is going on here.


From ESPN:
"Over the off-season, questions began to arise within the 36ers' management about Ninnis' capability as a head coach in the NBL, sources said. The team hired a pair of credentialed assistant coaches -- Wells and Marko Marinovic -- to supplement the basketball experience on the coaching staff, but since decided to lean more heavily into them"

Ok. Well. You appointed him because he was an NBL level head coach. You gave him a contract because of the evidence of the previous season that he is an NBL level coach. Where is this evidence on the contrary suddenly coming from?Also, incredibly patronising thing to imply.

Pretty poor form by Olgun to be the owner's mouthpiece.

Season starts in 38 days for the people saying 2 months out

Owner & GM. - whoever is making these decisions is perhaps overlooking the value of having a coach that the players believe in. Not saying Ninnis is the Messiah, but by all accounts the turn around in culture, body language, enthusiasm and general enthusiasm from the playing group cannot be ignored - and largely coincided with Scott's promotion to HC.

Bringing in a new (unproven NBL) coach can challenge even the strongest of cultures. Example: Scott Morrison @ Perth; Mahmoud Abdelfattah @ Sydney.

KET, I think it has something to do with a needless shift by some NBL clubs to employ GMs like they do in most American sports, and who make decisions above the coach like selecting the team and staff. It really isn't necessary in the NBL, and can be quite pretentious.

Classic move from Adelaide.

But they still have a ways to go before they can take the crown from Brisbane, who've firmly held it for the past handful of seasons.

Talk on The Marketplace podcast that the players were talking about not attending practice today. Sounds like the players are very PO'd.

So basic gist on that podcast is they didn't think Ninnis would take the team forward and so decided to get rid of him before they get in a hole half-way through the season.

So fine, you don't think Ninnis is the guy, but why the hell did you sign him then? Just to keep DJV and Humphries happy enough to re-sign knowing you'd turf him as soon as they put pen to paper?

There's also claims Ninnis didn't "put effort in" in terms of recruitment, but isn't that why they hired a GM? He went to Vegas, seemed pretty busy there.

But they still have a ways to go before they can take the crown from Brisbane, who've firmly held it for the past handful of seasons.

LaPark, exactly! If they realise now for some bizzare reasom that Ninnis is not an NBL standard coach, then they are also not up to standard in terms of due dilligence.

Supposedly they're going to offer Ninnis a "Head of Developments/Academy" role, but as Rucker said, if I was Ninnis I'd tell them to shove it.

The owner went shopping at Brainfarts 'r' Us?

Supposedly they're going to offer Ninnis a "Head of Developments/Academy" role, but as Rucker said, if I was Ninnis I'd tell them to shove it.

From Michael Randall via The Advertiser:

Adelaide basketball boss Matt Weston said the Sixers had formed the view a change was necessary.

"Where we are in the rebuild we just don't see that Scott’s capability is aligned to where we want to be, after we reflected through the offseason," Weston said.

“We felt it’s best to make a decision now.

“We need to move forward.”

Weston said Wells was seeking a new challenge when he accepted the Sixers’ role and had chosen the NBL on the recommendation of NBA colleagues.

Following Bruton’s departure, Ninnis coached 15 games, leading the 36ers to an 8-7 record and a renewed positivity.

CODE Sports has been told Ninnis was angered when the 36ers moved to recruit a veteran assistant in the offseason and blocked his attempts to appoint long-time assistant and former teammate Graham Kubank in the role.

The Sixers had courted Illawarra championship coach and former Boomers’ mentor Brendan Joyce, before Wells - a 30-year veteran with stints at six NBA clubs - was appointed to the role.

CODE Sports has phoned Ninnis this morning.

It’s understood the Sixers had mulled Ninnis’ future for some weeks. He had sought a meeting with Sixers’ management late last week but CODE Sports has been told his fate had already been sealed.

Ninnis is said to be furious with the Sixers’ decision, which comes just months after he was handed a two-year extension.

A source told CODE Sports Ninnis had been resistant to making changes or adopting methods suggested by Wells - who has two NBA championships as an assistant.

The Sixers will be forced to pay a hefty severance.

CJ Bruton was sacked in December 2023;
Scott Ninnis appointed interim coach December 2023.
Ninnis given 2-year contract February 2024
Matt Weston hired in March 2024.

Clearly Scott wasn't Matt Weston’s guy.

GM needs to put his stamp on the team - and no better way to do this than by hiring the head coach. Straight out of the Jerry Krause playbook.

Shakes, Krause was very successful. So are you now saying it is a great move?

That's what I thought the Weston thing. I remember thinking at the time he was hired what this may or may not mean for Ninnis. In the NBA new GM's want to appoint their own HC and I guess that was probably promised to Wells to get him out here. Weston's justification for the firing in that article is mealy-mouthed at best.

Decisions like this are why Adelaide have spent so much and achieved so little in recent history.

I remember Weston's first social media video when he was talking about all the recruiting work he said he had been doing and he said 'I’ and "me" a lot.
( obvious culture red flag )
That was pulled down within 24 hours and replaced by a shorter more general video that has both he and Ninnis speaking separately and both only used ‘we’ and ‘us’
So I am guessing someone noticed a while ago that there was some attitude stuff going on but now it appears management have picked a side.

Jerry Krause was the analogy that I immediately thought of as well, an owner who was always almost making change for changes sake, an owner that Jordan is still working to ensure will be one the most unpopular NBA owners of all time.

The guy who owns the team appointed Weston
Another NBL team stacked with yes men.

Exactly. It's been an absolute shit show since what was done to Mitch Creek in 2018 and haven't made the playoffs since either.

The Jerry Krause analogy is a good one broke up a three-peat championship team in 1998 just to feed his ego and the Bulls haven't won a championship since.

Lots of factors at play here. One big item that can't be dismissed is Ninnis support as an ex-player and long time money spending supporters wanting to see him given a go. What sort of value can you put on that? Fans will move on pretty fast if new coach gets them winning though. They start losing with this new guy, it will get ugly real fast, you won't get those supporters back.
On the other hand I can remember Ninnis stint in early-mid 2000's. Started off similar to now, with fans in full support and went downhill. How many NBL clubs are hiring NBL1 coaches? I saw Ninnis as someone to fill a gap until someone new came along, he just happened to be in the right place at right time when CJ was let go, but thought that would be in 1-2 years time.
This NBA guy Mike Wells might be 10 steps ahead of Ninnis when it comes to preparation, skill set, professionalism, training setups, etc. I would also hope the club had meetings with core leadership players like DJV, Humphries to get feedback, etc before making this decision. Maybe their feedback forced this decision.
Great way to start a new culture after CJ, not.

@zodiac also the fumbling of Daniel Johnson " if they treat him like that after 14 years, how are they going to treat me?"

The club can preach culture and locals first all it likes but stuff like this dredges up the past and there are more fumbles since ownership change than in the 20 years preceding.

Weston has over reached way too quickly with no runs on the board for these types of power moves.

@Ballin Fan
I remember noticing the same thing at the time and just chalked it up to maybe Weston not being super experienced media wise, but it was a very individualistic press conference.

Sixtiesrockstar, but that concern should have been a reason not to give him the job in the first place, not sack him after hiring him.

Again, can understand this if Adelaide were 0/23, but not now.

If the talk of Ninnis being a bit sulky about things is true, that is still a situation the club created.

With the rumours of Brendan Joyce being an assistant some months ago, along with Goorgian flirting with the job the writing was on the wall for Ninnis, just a matter when. I believe that Kubank had taken Long Service Leave from his employment to be Ninnis assistant and he was not willing to resign his position to take on the uncertainty of a professional Basketball coach.

The appointment of Wells with his background and experience as an assistant to Ninnis was a red flag and a double red flag when Marinovic was appointed as a second assistant. The timing of the announcement is coincidently a day after his time on the Serbian Olympic coaching staff has finished.

Better to make the call two months prior to the season when there is still plenty of pre-season training to go and before the full team is gathered. Time enough to instigate the type of game style and bed the players together. pre-season success is a must and while members of this Forum are longtime Basketball fanatics, a lot of the people who attend the games are not. They are there for a night out and when you can get a full house winning only 50% of games, how will things go if the 36ers have a winning season and make the finals.

Time will tell if this is the right decision or not. Rich men and sports teams are always open to criticism BUT without Grant Kelly we may not have a team to support.

Shakes, Krause was very successful. So are you now saying it is a great move?

The Jerry Krause analogy is a good one broke up a three-peat championship team in 1998 just to feed his ego and the Bulls haven't won a championship since.

"@zodiac also the fumbling of Daniel Johnson " if they treat him like that after 14 years, how are they going to treat me?"

Not sure I would be bringing up the supposed DJ thing given how good a wicket he was on his 13 years here. The fact no other NBL teams have been willing to touch him since his last Sixers contract ended, other than that inglorious 3 game stint with SEM last season, speaks volumes. So much for teams in Japan knocking down his door? lol

Shakes, there seems to be an existing relationship between Wesson (or whatever his name is?) and Mike wells though? Hardly screams of an objective, well rounded decision.

In any case, it's not like Adelaide needed to make a panic move on the basis they think they've assembled a win or bust team.

I believe Mike Wells worked at the Spurs at the same time as Weston.

Q Anon, I completely agree. You have to have some runs on the board before you make a play like this. Ninnis has a lot of support in Adelaide and performed well when he took over last season. Weston, on the other hand, is completely unknown and unproven in Adelaide. Who is going to back him over a guy who has been involved with the Sixers for 35 years and been involved in every championship the club has won?

I thought Weston had been doing quite well and the team had turned a corner, but now this a month out from the season? He has just completely lost me! Surely he could have given Scott a chance for one season? If Scott didn't perform, then he'd have the evidence and a lot more people would accept the decision.

Wells may indeed be more accomplished in terms of in game strategies and all the latest ideas out of the NBA, but you've still gotta motivate people, which is what Scott showed he could do. If Wells is such an accomplished motivator and people person, you've gotta ask why he never got the opportunity as a head coach before now?

I thought the idea was to have Scott as the figurehead, maintaining good relationships with the players and media, and inspiring those players to do their best for the club. The assistants can then do the minutiae of scouting the opposition, preparing game-plans etc. Its a common model that has worked with many teams.

I don't know why they needed to panic and set off a bomb in the franchise again. The chances this sinks the season again are very high indeed!

Shakes, there seems to be an existing relationship between Wesson (or whatever his name is?) and Mike wells though? Hardly screams of an objective, well rounded decision.

In any case, it's not like Adelaide needed to make a panic move on the basis they think they've assembled a win or bust team.

@Beantown

"The assistants can then do the minutiae of scouting the opposition, preparing game-plans etc. Its a common model that has worked with many teams."

It feels like that may have been the plan, but then Ninnis has been very reluctant or outright refusing to implement what the assistants are pushing for. That at least seems to be part of the narrative that the 36ers management are pushing and why they felt they had to move him on

Joint has been an embarrassment for numerous years now and just one common denominator in all the time. The Owner. Fans need to rally and get this guy out if they want change.

LaPark, yeah that is the narrative they are pushing. I don't buy it though. Wells has only been in Adelaide maybe two weeks? He couldn't have tried to work with Scott and compromise on some things? I tend to think Wells is impatient and ambitious and he and Weston wanted Scott out from day one.

I don't think this is a smart decision as he may have created so much animosity that no-one will want to even give Wells a chance and we will have another dumpster fire of a season followed by another sacked coach!

"Fans need to rally and get this guy out if they want change."

I'm not sure the fans can do much other than not turning up to games but the tickets are already paid for.

Listening to The Marketplace pod about this really brings home how sad a situation the club is in continually being run into the ground anytime a slither of light appears.

I've been wondering if there may be a provision for LK to step in? It's beyond brand damage to the Sixers we've been the joke of the league these past 6 years but surely the NBL is starting to get a black eye from this owner. All the good work LK has done over the years and the Sixers owner continues to make the NBL look more bush league than it's ever been.

@Zodiac

I imagine from the league POV it's the same as the AFL, they don't care as long as the AEC is selling out. As soon as the $ dry up that's when they'll get nervous, but as it stands the 36ers are getting people through the doors so the league will say all is well.

Sixers have been a dysfunctional organisation for a decade basically.

Why would any player or coach want to go there?

@LaPark,

I'm not sure about that yes it's good the fans are still turning up but it's more the potential effect on the NBL via sponsors and international interest. Seeing one club continue to make a mockery of the league and all LK's effort and investment.

It's the JVG / Conner Henry thing all over again and worse this time as it's now happened to a 36ers favourite son. It's just too many bodies thrown overboard now.

There is a great saying:

Just when you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, someone will come along and build more tunnel.

Pre-season Blitz can't come soon enough, so we can see the team and new coaches settle into something resembling real games.

I mean how much longer are Vasiljevic and Humphries going to hang around now? They both re-signed to 3 year deals on the understanding Ninnis would be the coach. Will they leave now? Jarell Martin was heavily recruited by DJV too. Dech & Cadee were both screwed over last season can't see them re-signing. It's not good.

Wright: Departed 26/02/20. 2 years left on his contract
Henry: Departed 26/08/21. 2 years left on his contract
Bruton: Departed 06/12/23. 1 year left on his contract
Ninnis: Departed 12/08/24. 2 years left on his contract
Wells: Let's find out

LK has already stepped in apparently. GK hasn't been around like normal. Weston was appointed/ highly recommended by LK

If LK has stepped in and effectively running the team that would suggest Weston's decision to fire Ninnis likely comes with LK's approval.

As Word14 said

Wright: Departed 26/02/20. 2 years left on his contract
Henry: Departed 26/08/21. 2 years left on his contract
Bruton: Departed 06/12/23. 1 year left on his contract
Ninnis: Departed 12/08/24. 2 years left on his contract

depending on the contract is this a good career move, get paid for 2 years work when you only work 1 year?

Work for the 6ers get 2 years pay for 1 year and then move on

Bruton was already in his last season though, so paying him either way.

Weston on SEN SA now to embellish his bullshit

Nic Barbara Joe saying
.... Was not meeting the standards being set for a baseball culture..
nothing very specific.

Mike Wells has been an assistant for 31 years.
He has never been a head coach.

Basketball culture...

Down to the players now, will they follow the new coach or does it become iso ball. It was not the greatest list anyway.

When did Barbato speak and when?

Rucker, you got give it to Adelaide, they know how to entertain. Lmao.

After giving Ninnis a 2 year extension in February and now you have concerns in August, as an organisation you appear externally as a massive shit show.

Ninnis had been out of elite basketball for a long time when he became an assistant to CJ.

As has been said, 36ers doing 36er things.

The assistant coach, Serbian guy was the assistant coach in the Olympics for Serbia, so he's knows the fiba game, Sixers might actually play some defence.

@Big Ads
Nic Barbato is speaking to a channel nine mic
With the low culture standard comment on the NBL Facebook page

Listening to Weston speak, it will divide those who admire brutal honesty or cliche diplomacy. There was no "We are just going in the wrong direction and we wish him all the best". He was quite firm about his reasons, so I guess you've got to give him that. In saying that, the could have been a bit more generous to Ninnis in not publicly annoucning he's essentially not a good coach.

He failed to acknowledge though that his choices may have lead to the instability he speaks of. At the end of the day, Scott Ninnis was the HC and can't do his job properly if he's being told what to do by management and assistants. Complete lack of trust between them it seems.

Ultimately, I feel like Weston got his way and now it has to work, but I still feel like it's a huge mistake.

In business, a lot of appointments are with a probation period. Perhaps, in effect what management is saying is that he failed his 6 month probation review so we are not ratifying his position.

the club approves an extension off the back off last year and knew what Scott was about, Weston comes in and all of a sudden he is not the right fit,

you better be right Matt or you will be next,

the cub has handled this in such poor fashion, the big thing is the owner continues to let this happen under his ownership.

buck stops with him and the others that have an ownership stake in the 36ers

sell and leave quickly

How is this for Barbato/Weston Culture and Standards

Send the HC halfway around the world for work purposes and when he checks in to his hotel he is told by the hotel he has to pay the bill!


That's fucked!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bs8gQfIaxDU
Press conference

No doubt Weston has already got his scapegoats lined up to blame if things go pear-shaped.

You just have to hope that the two 'assistants' can work together in order to achieve success, given that they come from very different styles and backgrounds.

This sudden U-turn on Ninnis makes sense if the 36ers are now being externally administrated, so to speak, by LK and the NBL.

I'm ok with this, continue on the same path we get the same results.

Might be the best thing to happen to the club in a decade.

Good call by 36ers. Should not have been given the job in the first place if we're honest. But club should have appointed gm before a hc. That’s the mistake and that’s with the CEO who has put himself under pressure so was brave to make this call.

Matt Weston is a knob and barbaro finally gets his way after trying very hard to shaft Scott over the last few months

There wasn't a lot coaches cueing up to coach Sixers, perhaps they made the decision as to not lose to many players, realised he wasn’t the answer and punted. Who knows but it’s entertaining. Sixers roster like Brisbane isn’t that good, they are bottom three with Cairns. Early days but SEM and kings look great JJs as well though set back with McVeigh missing.

The standards of the outfit of the guy giving the interview wasnt really up to date. Was he wearing a bullet proof vest?

Those 2 guys dont really seem to know what they are doing.

That press conference is something to behold

Ninnis did a good enough job last year taking the team 8-7 to get a 2 year contract now it's being called not that good and his professionalism is being questioned.

Weston has rolled the dice on his career here. Remember Weston's previous NBL experience was as a 3rd string assistant coach decades ago.

Wow, just Wow!!! They say a fool and his money are soon parted, paying for all those sacked coaches proves it.
Wasn't a fan of the Ninnis signing, thought there could be better. But wasn't a throw the remote at the TV against it. The team obviously had an upturn after cj departed, but he'd be in top 10, if not 5 worst NBL coaches of all time. Had a couple of entries last year with Mahmoud and Jackomas. And Hawks had an even better response getting rid of a bad coach.
I think the club were within their rights to want a senior assistant, not Scotty's security blanket in Kuwie. Maybe the South loss on the weekend was a dominoe to get Ninnis back at South. But the more prudent approach would have been either an older coach with no desire for top spot, or younger guy that's been in a few systems. Problem is there's not too many about if Joyce is being mentioned. I liked the Serbian coach signing, but the American route hasn't been that successful apart from someone like a Buford and he was given keys to a Rolls Royce like Brian has.
Scotty has always been a players coach, good to have an X and O's guy, but is Wells the answer, we're about to find out. But dumping a popular coach on eve of season will only put a spotlight on him. Can see DJ testing him and shooting everything, how will that be managed. And Humphries does have a problem with confidence sometimes, how will a new coach affect his mindset.
This isn't a sacking for poor performance, it's bizarre. How many ex employees are sitting back smiling now. And there would be a lot.
But can a club get any worse a reputation for the way it treats it's coaches and players? Maybe there is another side and this was the intention all along. Don't think Scotty's contract would have been the biggest they've ripped up. Wouldn't surprise me if the assistants were on more.
The only way to protest management, or mismanagement, is to simply not go and hit the wallet. But good old Adelaide will show up for another shit show, and let the lunatic run the asylum.
Wow. Have to get SOS back.
Then again, maybe this coach might be good. Oh wait, he'll be fired for some reason.

Yeah there was a quite amazing amount of passive-agressiveness and tension in that press conference hey?

Are coaches contracts the same as AFL where there is a 6 month maximum payout?

Think they're entitled to more than 6 months. Olgun mentioned on the marketplace Adelaide were at 1 stage paying 3 coaches at once.

Just read part of a bio on Matt Weston. Claims he is the youngest person to coach 200 games in the NBL.
I was obviously in a coma at this time. Can anyone tell me what sort of coach he was. What was his winning percentage etc.

So done with this team, every year it's something.
I'm back on the Adelaide Giants band wagon and it's good to see a team that wins, has great culture and mostly the same players back every year. 3rd premiership in a row this year.

Basically Ninnis should not have been given the 2 years in first place and if owner wants to waste his money on payouts not my problem.
And obviously key players were kept aware what was happening.
Sixers assembled a very strong team but so have most clubs and we need to get a extra edge that Roth and Tatum gave to their clubs.

Matt Weston was an assistant coach at kings and the Razorbacks. That's how long it's been.

This is very poor form, especially the press conference basically giving Scott no credit for the fantastic turn around he got out of the team to end last season, they could at least have given him that and said "Scott did a great job last season, we thank him for that, but have decided to go in a new direction."

Whether Wells turns out to be the better coach or not this is just not how good clubs operate, no wonder we havent made playoffs in years.

Weston and Ninnis clearly didnt see eye to eye and given Weston was hired after Ninnis, he probably wanted his guy which seems to be Mike Wells.

Wells does have a fantastic resume, but never been head coach, and its always been hit and miss with American coaches with no prior NBL exposure, so be interesting to see how he goes, but is far from guaranteed that hes an upgrade.

I guess we will see, whether they wanna give Scott credit or not he went 8-7 to end last season, if Wells doesnt at least match that in the next 15 games, this is just a shambles.

Weston was an assistant coach with:

Sydney Kings from 98/99 -> 02/03
9-17
11-17
17-11
14-16
22-8

West Sydney Razorbacks 03/04 & 04/05
22-11
11-21

Overall record in the NBL as an assistant coach:
106-101

why so much talk about Matt Weston ? he is not going to coach or is he ?

How many games do supporters give Wells? As posted above if after 15 games his record is worse than 8-7, then what? Do Sixers persist hoping Wells might do better, or will they sack yet another coach. Hopefully this guy is as good as we are now being led to believe and Sixers show system, teamwork, structure and get some wins, otherwise this whole removing Ninnis process will have been pointless.

Thanks Naph, but bio definitely says as coach. I think you might have a FOS here. Exaggerate your experience, but it will come back and bite you on the bum.

References "standards not being met" continually but refuses to elaborate on specifics. What does that actually mean? There has to be more to this story than Ninnis not being the right fit or having enough experience etc.

All this unsubstantiated bullshit about "standards" is really trashing Scott's reputation, making it sound like he wasn't putting the effort in. If it's not true, it's a piss weak way to farewell a champion of the club. If it is true, you could still find a more diplomatic way to explain his departure. They keep referring to him as a champion of the club but are treating him with utter disrespect. How do they think that is going to resonate with the fans and members?
Maybe he's not an X & O coach, maybe he's a players coach...but why the hell wouldn't you ride the optimism of the fanbase and the galvanisation of the playing group that Scott has managed to achieve?

Whether true or not, Boti's latest opine suggests at least one contracted player is considering Europe offers as an alternative to this shit show and I wouldn't blame them. Apparently after being sacked Scott told players in the strength and conditioning room and they were so blindsided they thought it was a joke (per The Advertiser). Way to fracture the team before they've even got started!

you can also read bio about mat weston being very successful in busines and led china olympic program for home olympics as well worked for san antonio spurs so he knows standards. tough call made but it is the right one and people need to stop going on about ninnis being a club legend like he is somehow untouchable becuase of it. no loyalty in professional sport and thats the truth. its ruthless and you know the rules when you get involved. fans will forget quickly after a couple of wins and move on.

Drinking game: take a shot every time 'standards' are mentioned in the press conference

I guess the Sixers organization is trying to justify their decision to the fans but are coming across as classless idiots by bad mouthing a well liked club legend like Ninnis.
If he was not up to the task as they say, their recruiting processes must be seriously flawed.
Organizations are allowed to make mistakes but 4 in a row?

Don't have a problem this but have a MAJOR problem with the way they’ve done it.

Wells is being set up to fail in a situation like this.

Massive:

people need to stop going on about ninnis being a club legend like he is somehow untouchable

Massive, maybe he does know standards? Whatever that means. But, I think what's going on here is that standards are selectively where Weston says they are, and Ninnis just has to like it.

The press conference was a complete shambles and both spoke appalingly. I could not believe they actually trashed Ninnis after firing him.

When Sixers refer to "standards" not being met, what is Weston justifying as standards? Did Ninnis miss trainings? Was he always late? Did he not want to do zoom meetings? They mentioned he was unwilling to adapt and implement the asst coach as they wanted, yet the asst coach has only been here for 1 week. The asst coach from Serbia isn't even here yet, what happens when they realise the two new coaches have totally opposing styles that are incompatible. Weston spoke of poor standards and used hypotheticals, better to pull the lever now than wait until they were 3-8. Everything is a hypothetical, and realistically with a brand new coaching group with only a month till start of season they are more than likely to be 3-8 now than they were with Ninnis.

I particularly didnt like how they blamed Ninnis for the team finishing 2nd bottom last season.
The he was part of the coaching staff all season line was particularly grating , you may as well blame the water boy too then.
He went 8-7 with the team which would have made finals extrapolated over the season. Seems like his standards got way better results than what CJ was able to muster in a couple of years.

Pointing to not implementing what the assistant coach wants , when he has been in the country a week , and most likely not even seen an NBL game, is pathetic.

Last I checked the head coach makes the decisions and the assistants offer suggestions of improvement or stress test the HC idea.

The team isn't even together so there is no way for the assistant to know what will work with the players on the roster.

One thing for certain is the pressure is right on the new coach, if the team isn't with him he’s probably in trouble.
I’d say he wasn’t tough enough on some of the players, if they are slacking off at training, not following instructions, doing their way, it doesn’t work on match day. Roth loves his players, they know it but I bet behind closed doors in the training hall he’s ruthless, as Gleeson, Vickerman etc are.

Dunkman, I think the pressure is more on Weston? I don't know the full story, but assuming he drove this ultimately.

I have nothing against Wells. He seems like a likebale kind of guy. I guess he can always play the "I didn't ask to be HC kind of card". Ultimately, if Weston wants to be a driver of change, then the pressure is on him to make it work.

Just curious do nbl coaches have to hold me minim coaching level quals? Do they have this requirement anywhere in the world?

Boti Nagy has reported that at least one Sixers player has instructed his agent to look for a deal in Europe.
I can't remember the last time Boti had a scoop that was actually correct but if true I'll be preparing popcorn.

One could assume it's DJV looking out given he was the most vocal about Ninnis getting the job permanently last season.

If true and I'm not convinced, it shows that change was needed, winning organisations don’t have players dictating to them. You can’t have players even choosing who should be on the team. When DJV said off season he was having input to team selections I thought not good.

It was reported at the time he re-signed that DJV didn't have a Euro out-clause in his new contract. So it could be a lesser light or could even be Humphries?

One could guess Humphries would be the other, would any other player on the team get a deal in Europe?

Plenty there's a lot of low-level leagues in Europe. I knew a guy who played in Italy and his NBL career amounted to only ever being a training player with the 36ers for one season.

"If true and I'm not convinced, it shows that change was needed, winning organisations don't have players dictating to them."

All successful teams have their best players having significant input. The players are the ones who drive the bus, if they're not the team won't succeed.

Unsuccessful teams make big decisions without getting input from their key players, which is exactly what Adelaide did this week.

Goulding became a far better player when Vickerman got there, Vickerman drove the bus and yes players are allowed imput but ultimately it's the head coach and management that drives the bus.

DJ spoke surprisingly sensibly during his radio interview today. Mentioned it was not him seeking an out, and expected that when the dust settles, all would stay still.

It really is the job of Weston and Wells to make sure the team is united again.

Goulding became a far better player when Vickerman got there, Vickerman drove the bus and yes players are allowed imput but ultimately it's the head coach and management that drives the bus.

Top level leagues in Europe pay good money, low level leagues not so much. I don't see anyone leaving Sixers for that. DJV should get on very well with the new Serbian coach as well, time will always tell but maybe Sixers have got this one right, and yes I said maybe.

Players were not consulted

"Goulding became a far better player when Vickerman got there, Vickerman drove the bus"

The players drive the bus of most successful teams, including setting that standards they expect to maintain under guidance from the coach. The coach then creates the environment for them to reach those standards, and when needed pulls people into line.

In terms of Melbourne United, Goulding has huge input into what happens there, he's grown into a leader and Vickerman has done a great job helping him grow.

I am first to admit Ninnis is a low level coach at NBL level but he does know the game. His 8-7 record that some have referred to is not a true indicator. When he took over from CJ the Sixers were a mess, coming off the hiding in Tasmania Ninnis lost his first 3 games as coach as he started changing things. After two weeks at the helm the team picked up and after xmas Sixers went on something like a 7-2 run defeating numerous teams in top 4. They talk about standards, the only standard that matters is win/loss.

Agree sistiesrockstar. Was incredible to hear Barbato or Weston mention in the press conference that there was a new coach bounce and after that the record was ok.

They actually had no clue about what happened last season, Adelaide finished the year on a 7-3 run. If they'd chosen to run an open process at that point to see if there was a better candidate than Ninnis then fair enough, but they way they've done it is extremely poor.

I loved in the press conference when they said they didn't want to wait till they were 3-8 before taking action.

Gonna be an awkward position if the new coach's record isn't any better than that!

If the players are driving the bus you got to many drivers, players set standards in training and what is required under the direction of the coach. Obviously it looks like Sixers management did not think the coach was heading towards success. Big, big call, be interesting to see how it pans out.

I can understand DJV looking to have input on the team. He is going to be our leading player, he signed a 3 year deal and possibly would extend it if things worked out, with Ninnis as coach and probably an understanding of him being leader of the playing group. If the GM didn't speak to DJV for feedback and evaluations prior to releasing Ninnis then the GM might need to evaluate his standards.

I can only see this decision putting extreme pressure on the new coach. He won't have anytime to settle in as supporters will expect nothing less than what we got with Ninnis. My prediction is that in one and a half seasons time the Sixers will be asking for Joey to come back to fix things.

I think putting emotions aside, I agree with sixtiesrockstar, I started having doubts about Ninnis when, he mention during an interview that he was basing some of his schemes on Roth's, sure he's a probably the best coach in the league you have to be better than the competition you can look to the competition, you need to be looking outside and above the competition.

I have read the NBL articles and now viewed the press conference.

There are a lot of concerns and holes in their rational.

They have said Ninnis did not meet standards AND these challenges have been present from DAY ONE. Day ONE. And they wanted to give Ninnis a chance to meet expectation.

If this is the case, and you have had more than half a season to gauge his progress before offering him an extension. What on Earth did you see in the Off Season that wasn't there in the second half of the season???

Boti highlighted the praise and reasoning in the Presser for Scott's 2 year extension, and fast forward 6 months to throwing him under a Bus.

The Weston / Barbato presser was just cringeworthy, they had no strategy other than throwing Scott under a Bus and dodging straight shooting questions.

I am on record saying we should not re-sign Ninnis, I don't believe his 8/7 record justifies an extension past being a caretaker. I wanted Goorj. However I accepted that high standing players endorsed him and seem to want to stay because of the relationship.

Can we really blame JVG for previous things now? It seems to always happen no matter who is running the front office.

Ninnis 100% isnt the coach of the future, but again 6ers supporters have to experience disfunction.

This puts undue pressure on the incoming coach, he is worse than .500 it will be viewed as a failure by the fans.

This coaching staff has major red flags all over it as well... why has the incoming coach been a assistant for 30 years and never once walked into a HC role?
The Serbian coach's history shows he got sacked after producing the clubs worst record in history and has been assisting ever since.

Have the 6ers fired a known commodity (average coach) to role the dice on 2 guys who might not be good coaches?

At a very minimum it shows the club cares 0% about fan perception and 0% about how they are viewed in creating an environment where people might want to work for them as a staff member or playing group.

The fact during the press conference they minimised Ninnis's impact when he took over and even mentioned how much the team cost inferring he under performed does not hold up.
Did they watch the team before he took over compared to when he took charge ?
They talk standards yet there are massive holes in what they have done, said and claimed.
They have hired a head coach who has only ever been an assistant with zero process.
Massive risk, feels like they have drawn 16 playing Black Jack and have bet everything on being dealt a 5.
If this was for Gleeson or the like you could make an argument but an unknown quantity as a HC vs 15 games which showed a fair bit.

New presser with Mike Wells on the 'tubes.

Also an NBL article with some thoughts from DJV now live.

"players set standards in training and what is required under the direction of the coach."

Spot on. Usually those standards are set by the players under the guidance of the coach. Players are hugely important and a coach who can harness their input and leadership usually gets results. The days of top-down leadership in successful team are pretty much done.

Wells saying he has been working all week with Scott to prepare the team

Weston and Barbato specifically mention that Scott had not been working with Wells in their presser

WILD SCENES

Somewhere CJ Bruton, Conner Henry and Joey Wright are quietly pissing themselves laughing.

Just watched the presser with zig and zag. Trust us is the message. We've recruited a great team, but as usual we have no idea about coaches. Adelaide is an absolute laughing stock.

Is it a great team ? Early days but I'm not convinced.

Saying it's a great team is just them using that as justification for firing Ninnis, we couldn't afford a bad start etc.

Whilst there is a potentially good starting five there which assumes Martin bounces back from his knee injury and assumes Davis will be decent and not another Donald Sloan / Deshon Taylor. The reality is though the bench is very weak and strong benches often separate the good teams from the ordinary teams.

Wells just reminds me of Conner Henry so much,
i cannot get it out of my head.

and he kept saying Sixers instead of 36ers...

I just heard him speak on the news and he doesn't sound very similar to Henry.

A shame about Brett Maher quitting his role at the club but probably to be expected with how close he and Ninnis are.

Imo Henry was ok, had to coach around Giddey nba aspirations and no defence, had JVG behind the scenes putting teams together, that didn't work at kings either. Had the feeling when he got the boot he was relieved. He preached D, team but players didn’t follow it.

Is it just me or was he clearly not good enough to do a job like that successfully?

I can't stand these ex players who think because they’ve played they can coach at a high level.

People spend their lives committed to learning how to coach. If he was good enough he’d still have the job.

People need to stop with this club legend nonsense. James Hird was a club legend, look how that worked out.

He needs to take some responsibility for putting his hand up thinking he could do that job.
Look at the other NBL coaches and how much time they have spent as an AC or coaching NBL1 level, AUS teams etc.

I felt CJ was really well credentialed to be successful. He might be second time round.

Just my 2 cents.

Btw, would love the merry go round to stop. Hopefully Wells can get the group to buy in to his vision.

Wells and the Serbian assistant can formulate a harmonious playing structure, that will be an significant achievement in itself given the contrasting styles and systems each is coming from.

^if

"I just heard him speak on the news and he doesn't sound very similar to Henry."

I meant Wells does sound very similar to Henry, no idea why I typed doesn't.

Watched Well's presser.
Seems like a great guy with a fantastic attitude.
I take back what I said about playing style. From the sound of it, he's going to prioritise ball movement, passing etc

Rucker, you got give it to Adelaide, they know how to entertain.

He mentions Joe Inglis a few times though his interview, maybe he's trying to get him involved, owner gives shares like the Bogut kings deal. I’m still following the money.

Ignoring the idiocy from the club, I don't think anyone can deny that Mike Wells is a significantly better basketball coach than Scott Ninnis.

"I can understand DJV looking to have input on the team. He is going to be our leading player"

If DJV is your leading player I doubt any coach will make a difference.

I'm worried that Wells offence will be too modern in terms of pace and space to utilise humphries effectively on offence and he won’t be the sort of players coach ninnis was that Humphries needs when he’s low on confidence. We saw the substantial improvement from him last year when there was a change from Bruton to Ninnis and I have reservations that we will be back to a more Bruton like offence and a more timid humphries.

Good point re Isaac.

I'm worried they’re going to go too iso, which might suit DJV but not the TEAM

Mike Wells was at Uni Mount Vernon Nazarene from 1991 to 1993 as a player according to Wiki.

Michael Randall in todays advertiser is saying Mike Wells is 44 years old.
So he was at College when he was 11 to 13 years old? I tend to believe Wiki which is saying he has coached for 31 years.
But if a journalist has not gotten his age right, what else is being reported incorrectly?

This is the best roster Adelaide's had in many years.

Real chance one of these two things happens

1. 36ers make semi finals and their fans rewrite history by forgetting the past and commenting what a genius signing Wells was

2 36ers miss playoffs with their fans becoming even more salty, bitter and twisted

Of course there is the 3rd option, make play-in and hang around the 50% wins mark

Either way it'll be very interesting. I do feel sorry for Ninnis, it felt like 36ers were building something last season, and they followed up by a strong off-season of signings and re-signings

If Sixers don't do well, then there’s always the management excuse that it was because it was Ninnis’s team, not Wells’s.

Yeah that was an impressive press conference. Will never know if he had a role in what went on behind the scenes, but hard not to feel confident in his coaching abilities. I look forward to the obvious unselfishness.

Any danger of Matt Weston buying-in to the obvious unselfishness or is he exempt?

MaxM. Better coach? Presumably. But he hasn't coached yet. No one is disputing the credentials of Wells compared to Ninnis. I think what a lot of us are worried about is how many coaches have been recruited from overseas with impeccable resumes and credentials only to struggle in NBL? Nearly all of them, aaiiiggght, overdribble. We've just been through the years after Joey with the JVG, Henry and CJ coaching debacle to see Ninnis come in and do a pretty reasonable job. Apart from the early losses when he took over he went 7-3 with an ave winning margin of 15pts. That is a damn good 10 games. Ninnis knows the league, the refs, the players, the other coaches and styles, the atmosphere at other courts, the travel arrangements, the way the game is played, the way the game is reffed, etc, etc. Wells has none of those credentials here. This is all going to be new to Wells and going to require adjusting to. Supporters don't want to go through this again where we might be 3-8** and management needs to pull the lever again.
I wonder how many long term supporter shave cancelled memberships over this.

Agree sixtiesrockstar

Ninnis knows the league, the refs, the players, the other coaches and styles, the atmosphere at other courts, the travel arrangements, the way the game is played, the way the game is reffed, etc, etc. Wells has none of those credentials here.

Agree Shakes, I think that's an important point. Those of us who remember Ninnis coaching the Sixers last time 2008-10 know he has his limitations as a coach but whatever he inspired a 4-9 group under CJ to finish last season 8-7.

He deserved to at least start the season and if we got off to a really bad start or something and he then got fired and replaced by Wells most fans would probably understand that. But to fire him now a week or so into training camp smacks of a clash of personalities likely between Ninnis and the new GM Weston who was hired after the club had already re-signed Ninnis.

Couldn't agree more Shakes. They've just taken the highest risk path possible in dumping Ninnis now. Its just hard to believe Ninnis was so bad that they had to get rid of him before the season.

I'm very curious as to where GK is in all this as well. I thought that GK was the one who talked Ninnis back into coaching a couple of years ago at South Adelaide? Then he signed him as an assistant and then head coach and was there shaking his hand in the press conference in February.

GK knows full well, having been in Adelaide for some years now, that dumping Ninnis at this point is like lighting a bomb under any goodwill he has with Maher and many other influential people in SA basketball.

So did he approve this? Or are there other investors looking to take a stake in the team and an American coach is their price? Just speculation on my part, but I find it odd that GK would allow such a move at this moment.

In my opinion it is hard to argue against the fact that Mike Wells being head coach wasn't Weston's plan all along.

If it genuinely /wasn't/ the plan all along, then I have further questions about how the organisation can hire him as head coach when he has been here less than two weeks. Has never been a head coach anywhere. Hasn't coached in Australia before. In what circumstance would any other brand-new assistant coach be automatically elevated to head coach during off-season without at least a cursory search for a proven head coach? It's not like it's mid-season when you have to just roll with what you've already got.

Doesn't pass the sniff test, like most of what is being pumped out by the 36ers at the moment.

Beantown,

QAnon suggested earlier in the thread that GK isn't around the club much anymore and that LK is effectively running it. He also said Weston was strongly recommended by LK.

It probably also jibes with QAnon saying at the time Wells was hired to be the lead assistant that the Brendan Joyce thing fell through because as he put it, there was a change at the top. Barbato as CEO is still there so that he must've been dropping a hint about the absence of GK.

My guess is that they saw Wells as the guy they wanted as the head guy, but it was down the line in 12-24 months, not right now.

Idea was Wells comes in, takes a big role as assistant working on a lot of the strategy, XO type stuff while Ninnis is the culture/motivator guy. But that set-up required buy-in from Ninnis to cede some level of control which Ninnis didn't want to do, so with that basically we're paying two assistants a ton of money to take minimal roles we could have hired cheaper locals to fill.

So Weston has accelerated the timeline because Ninnis wasn't on the same page as him and Wells has to to a lot of local acclimatization on the go which we wanted to ease him into more this year. Funny enough with how much control CJ Bruton seemed to hand over to that assistant they got from SEM they may as well have just kept Bruton for another year and avoided this completely.

Personally I think it's more likely Wells was told from that start he would be the HC and then it just became about finding the right time/excuse to fire Ninnis. I just can't see a guy like Wells leaving the NBA to come here to be an AC, he's never been a HC at any level and this was the opportunity to realise that goal.

I'd agree with that Zodiac

@ LaPark, makes a lot sence.

Personally I think it's more likely Wells was told from that start he would be the HC and then it just became about finding the right time/excuse to fire Ninnis

I have absolutely no doubt that Wells took the job knowing he'd get it either now or later. In saying that though, he can't really be implicated in any wrong doing because coaches will take opporunities to advance, and there is no loyalty or betrayal to Ninnis. You could even argue that Ninnis took an AC role last season knowing it was his best avenue to the HC role again, and probably knew he was a good chance to take over from struggling CJ, do a decent job, and then get another opportunity with Adelaide at the exspense of CJ. Just business.

Would agree that Wells handled the press conference fairly well.

Ninnis in fact didn't want the head coaching role. He converted an off court role as GM of development. But he got thrust into the HC with guaranteed 2 year income. So he took it.

Agreed Master Chief. Ninnis knew last year CJ was entering the final year of his contract and if we got off to a bad start CJ would likely be fired as no need for a buy out he was getting paid until the end of season regardless. So Ninnis jumped on as AC at the opportune time and perhaps knew he would be the interim coach if/when CJ got sacked. Craig Simpson disappeared once Ninnis took over.

Sebastian, you know this for sure? I thought Ninnis took the AC role and remember thinking at the time he probably saw it as a springboard back.

Either way, I was not calling Ninnis a hypocrite or anything. I was just making the point that there is nothing predatory or dishonest about Wells knowing he would get the job eventually.

I have been sticking up for Ninnis the whole time. I still can't belive how bad their press conference was yesterday..

Yep fact. But you get offered 2 guaranteed what would you do? It's why Ninnis didn't apply for any other roles as he didn't want to leave SA and didn't really want to travel either.

+1 Sebastian he was asked to coach during CJ's tenure including when he wasn't involved with the club as an employee.

He was very reluctant to get involved again at all let alone takeover from CJ. When he did takeover, it was working and the players wanted him around , the fans wanted him around , the owner wanted him around. 11 days into the pre-season and all of a sudden Scott has shown so little that Weston and Barbarto sack him. Insane asylum behaviour.

I am in the camp that Wells was promised the job before leaving the USA. 30 year assistant in the NBA / College level and now is the time he picks to become a HC in an overseas league?

He says he has spoken to Ingles. Joe is on record as saying he well never play for Adelaide.

9 News has reported that Ninnis has engaged lawyers to try and get an adequate pay out of his contract.

Sebastian, no worries. Thank you for pointing this out, and I take back what I said. Not that I was having a go at Ninnis at all, it must be said.

Do people think they will try install some type of nbl or nbl1 assistant or consultant at all? As neither coach have been in the nbl at all? Would make sense.

Zodiac, if that's true, who would want to coach or play there?

Whilst we all understand things can be imperfect and clubs might hedge on plans, ultimately this comes across as a fundamentally stupid set of events.

Even if the club acknowledges past erratic behaviour and reputational hits and rolls with Ninnis before even having a GM because they wanted DJV and Humphries to return and then make potentially a right call to go with a more credentialed coach, you still look at it go - "that press conference was a disaster".

I agree with a prior sentiment about the concern of an earlier press conference which had a lot of “I” instead of “we”.

Following up with the approach of minimising Ninnis' coaching last year and then going on about standards was an outrageous approach. If you want to say “actually we changed our minds with direction but we think this is the right way to go” then say it like that, don’t throw every excuse under the sun to see what sticks.

Players, coaches and clubs frequently don’t work out, and whilst it happens more frequently at Adelaide than any of us would like, at the very least they could try to be a hell of a lot better in handling difficult circumstances without coming across so blatantly callous.

Reputation is meant to be a valuable thing!

Barbato and Weston couldn't stop talking about standards in the presser, well when are 36ers management going to be held to the appropriate standards of running a club. Barbato has clearly not been up to it, Weston is off to a very poor start and it has been one disaster to the next in the GK era.

This is just an extremely poor way to treat Ninnis, toward the end of last season was some of the best and most watchable basketball the club had played in years, while the atmosphere at home games was the best it had been since the move to the entertainment centre. A large part of that was due to what Ninnis was able to salvage from the playing group when it seemed there was nowhere to go after the horrific loss to Tasmania and CJ’s sacking.

While CJ struggled as a coach, it was clear there was significant interference in the decisions he was making from management, and I don’t see how any head coach or players can thrive in that sort of environment created by those 'in charge’. It is clear there are huge ego issues with this management group that continue to be to the detriment of the club and its reputation - when are they going to be held to account? Culture starts at the top and until management realise they are the problem, the Sixers will continue to be a mess. As a Sixers fan, I am sick of seeing the incompetence of a few egotistical individuals turn this club that we love into a complete laughing stock.

Just listened to John Casey on SEN, absolutely agree and his comments reflect essentially what I was posting.

It's just dumbfounding stuff.

ok now confirmed, Mike Wells is 54.

of concern to me is the operational similarities between Weston and JVG.
just too much of a coincidence
which makes me suspicious of the hiring process,
and/or the job description.

... And the gullibility of the person making the decisions

I'll play devils advocate here. I’ll declare the presser was a shambles but,

I had heard before the end of the season that Ninnis wasn’t very hard working and he clearly isn’t very good at the x’s and O’s. While Weston needs to refine his communication skills he has the right plan with local talent surrounded by some local
Stars and high level imports.

Weston has a plan and tried to compliment Ninnis skill set of being local and a good guy with hard working/experienced assistants. Remembering the Weston didn’t appoint Ninnis the owner who’s failed on multiple occasions did.

Ninnis has been found not to be pulling his weight/using his assistant coaches and had a few warnings about it. Hasn’t listened and has been fired. As would happen in any workplace.

Just like your post, there is an o missing between the N and the P and an e missing off the end.

NP did you mean to say that someone has told their boss Ive done all these performance reviews and he isnt taking anything on board so we need to sack him.

Except the reviews didnt happen and someone is lying to cover their ass.

Anyone heard from GK yet? Is he going to address this issue by either backing his CEO and GM, or pulling them into line? If not, who's really running this club?

NP

Ninnis has been found not to be pulling his weight/using his assistant coaches and had a few warnings about it. Hasn't listened and has been fired

Weston has come in after they signed Ninnis, decided he wanted Wells, orchestrated the transiton, but handled it beyond poorly.

I would say there is a legal battle at play, and the "not cutting it" direction is likely to do with not having to pay Scott out?

Again, really poor from the club, and it will cost them until they start winning again anyway,

It will be interesting to see what happens there as they've supposedly offered Ninnis a community engagement/junior clinics type role to keep getting his money but now Ninnis has hired lawyers to go for a pay out.

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/basketball/news-2024-adelaide-36ers-sack-coach-scott-ninnis-lawyers-pay-out-tension-20240814-p5k2gx.html

Been trying to work out where GK has been throughout this debacle & thought maybe he doesn't have to be if he's sold the team.
Would've made it easy to convince new owners to dump Ninnis as they'd have no concerns about his history with the club.

" a community engagement/junior clinics role " is taking the piss.
I cannot think of a head coach ever to be given his marching orders and offered a downgraded role like this, I imagine it would be pretty insulting.
There are so many ways this can go sideways ( more then it already has ), I struggle to see how they have thought this through, the press conference wasn't great either.

"David Spear, another 36ers championship-winner with 1986's "Invincibles" who also captained the 1987 SEABL champion Adelaide Buffalos alongside Ninnis, was about to have his company sign a five-figure sponsorship deal with the Sixers but now has withdrawn that offer."

http://www.botinagy.com/blog/maherquits/

Food for thought,

Here is Connor Henrys coaching career prior to coaching the 36ers.

As coach:
2001-2006 Claremont McKenna (assistant)
2006–2008 Perth Wildcats (assistant)
2008–2009 Perth Wildcats
2010–2011 Sydney Kings (assistant)
2011–2013 Los Angeles D-Fenders (assistant)
2013–2015 Fort Wayne Mad Ants
2015–2016 Orlando Magic (assistant)
2020–2021 Adelaide 36ers

NBA D-League champion (2014)
NBA D-League Coach of the Year (2014)

He had been an NBL assistant, once in the playoffs, G league Championship coach and coach of the year and NBA Assistant coach.

Is that better or worse than Mike Wells?

Henry HC the Wildcats to the playoffs. Wells has spent 22/25 years as an AC in the NBA including last season so better credentialled than Henry. The difference though is Henry had coached in the NBL before where as Wells hasn't.

Jonno, no one can say for sure. Like Boti pointed out in one of his articles recently, what level of assistant coach was Wells? Because NBA teams are just full of support staff. He might have just sat on the bench and helped with trainings. He must bring some good, but who knows how this will work out? From the perspective of the club, it has to work out. If Wells is a failure, who will coach them next?

I don't think Henry was a bad coach at all, but he defintely wasn't the right coach at the time. I remember the challengers of Covid and import revolving doors that year too. Basically relied on 17 or 18 year old Giddey? Sloan was released and it took ages for Brandon Paul to suit up?

Exactly right, Henry has the better resume and it didnt work out at this shambles club, so is it really likely Wells will?

Im not sure this path of getting NBA assistants like Wells is actually an upgrade over Aussie coaches,

I guess time will tell

Ninnis prior to last year even though removed for over a decade, isnt just a NBL1 coach, he had over a decade of NBL assistant coaching, including championship teams, and also Head coached in the NBL playoffs, also coached a few championships at the lower level.

Wells has never been a head coach at even NBL 1 level, very unproven

Not sure why some including some media like Olgun are seeing Wells as a definite upgrade over Ninnis and is a career of deep bench assistant coaching in the NBA actually better than the Ninnis resume.

Im skeptical about this direction we are taking, are we just drooling a bit too hard over the NBA?

Like players not everyone with a sniff of NBA experience is a NBL star or even starter. We cant get too obsessed with NBA.

Weston has really stuck his neck out here, especially with how he handled it, if we start 3-8 like he said in his press conference assuming Ninnis would fail, or even worse than the 8-7 Ninnis managed, then the fans will be calling for it to be chopped off and rightly so.

The spiel about National team assistants also doesnt carry much weight. Caporn and Patrick are Boomer assistant coaches , does that mean they are NBL HC level?

Time will tell but if Wells isnt at least 5-3 in his first bunch of games, then what happens? The schedule is a pretty tough start for the 36ers they may well only be 2- 6 to start.

Exactly Q Anon

And all this is ignoring the fact that Basketball clubs like the 36ers are not just data and business, they are things that people love like their families and they love the legends of the clubs like Maher and Ninnis and want them to be respected, the Ninnis half season had really got the supporters back on board and loving things, it was the best basketball we had seen in years, and the best half season record in a while, our star players like Vasiljevic and Humphries were on board and playing career best basketball. Ninnis is who the fans and 36ers family wanted, atleast for 1 more year.

What was the worst case sceneraio in keeping Ninnis, say it didnt work and he was 3-8 and ended up in the bottom 2 again, the fans would still be less disgusted than we are now, and at that point would have been understanding that it wasnt working , then Weston could have installed his guy Wells, who also would have benefited from a years experience in the NBL and getting to know the league, without having fans call for his head if he does worse than 8-7 in the first 15, like what will happen now.

My head has bounced around several times about this whole situation and I still do not know which way I have decided is the best. When Ninnis took over midway through last season there was an immediate change in the mindset of the players. CJ had lost them and while it was Ninnis and Kubank, if it had been Maher or perhaps any other Club legend, would the results for the later part of the season been similar? We will never know.

For the past 20 odd seasons, around this time of pre-season the learned members of this Forum have been forecasting doom and gloom over the coach, the imports and the roster in general. Most years they are unfortunately correct - an import gets sacked early and a coach gets changed.

Usually it is during the Pre-seasn Blitz or withing the first half dozen games. This year it is several weeks before the season starts with the coach being the change. The interviews with the people involved and the online podcasts along with the other media pundits have done nothing to instil confidence in the long suffering supporters.

However games are not won in August althouth it seems from many views that the 24-25 season has been lost already. Certainly it has created a lot of interest in the 36ers rightly ot wrongly and I am sure there is still much to play out. Meanwhile the players are still training so hopefully by the time the season starts, something positive will come out of all of this.

I will be keen to see how the team responds in our first pre-season game on the 25th.

I believe Wells at the last few years with the Jazz was moved from being an assistant coach to being the Director of Basketball Operations, so dunno if that's a case of he was terrible as an assistant so got re-assigned or he showed he was a capable guy and they moved him into a new position.

Wells was an assistant with Quin Snyder at the Jazz for a long time, and Snyder was at the Spurs at the same time Weston and Wells were too when Snyder was the head coach of the Spurs G-League team, so there is a bit of "one for the boys" smell around a bit. Wells was one of the first guys Snyder hired at the Jazz when he was putting together his assistants group though.

Olgun is the NBL mouthpiece; you can decide for yourselves how credible he is
LK owns the NBL and is constantly trying to get a closer relationship to the NBA. He's also trying to push the image of the NBL as the second-best league in the world. LOL
To most casual 'fans’, anything NBA must be better than what’s in the NBL.
There was talk that LK now has a major say in the Sixers.

Why would anyone be surprised that Olgun is acting like Wells is the second coming? His job is to promote the NBL.

Olguns job is also to push an agenda of a certain agent...

One other question I have re Wells is where is the import? Shouldn't a guy that has 30 years of NBA network be able to find a 3rd import straight away? Wells had no input into the KD selection from what I understand.

What use is the 3 decades of being around a league if you aren't going to use it to get the best players you can for your own team?

3rd import? Haven't they said for awhile now they're not getting a 3rd import unless they get an injury?

No third import this season, supposedly both DJV and Humphries are going to be marquees and you can only have a combination of four imports and marquees.

It's why the Kings aren't signing a third import either because they're going to marquee the contracts of Cooks and Kuol.

Q Anon, how much do you know/can you tell us about the ownership situation? Has Kelly effectively walked away from the club while still technically being the owner, and it's in the hands of the league?

If is possible to get a third import, really a toss of the coin as to if its a 3 or a back up 5? Again, Adelaide are too light with big men!

Master Chief how are they too light with bigs?

Davis / Cadee
Vasiljevic / Marshall
Mayen / Dech
Martin / Starling / Rigoni
Humphries / Griscti

A bit small at the back up PF spots but assuming Martin is/remains healthy those guys shouldn't play much.

They can re shuffle the cards to get a 3rd import if need be. IMO they should. They desperately need a 3 /4 of decent capacity to be competitive.

I believe GK is still around but am reliably told that he has sold some equity to someone we are all familiar with to get through this season. purely speculation and rumour , of course.

It looks slightly better squad than I thought, if the players move on from the turmoil, they are chance of top six. If Humphries goes down, it could cause concern, they would need a 4or 5 real quick if Martin moved to the 5.

SixersFan, maybe not in terms of having backups at both big man positions, but meant more so in relying on Humphries, and not being certain of what Griscti can bring right now. It just still feels like there is a bit of hole there, and would more confident if they had a defensive minded, rebounding big there. In saying that, I did forget that Martin can play those 5 minutes too.

I also wondered if the plan was for someone to drop down to DP or maybe Starling will make way if they sign a third import.

Q Anon, is Kelly in financial trouble you mean?

Cheers

hoopie, I think you've nailed it. It could easily be hypothesised that a factor in this was adding another NBA connection. The key players have pushed the wagon, and voila, the league can now peddle another NBA person in a role here... and that appeals to the next one... and so on...

Club will be sold within 12 months and then this will make sense. Watch.....

Are they going to have enough money or go back to being a budget team?

@Pablo

Has been shopped around for 2 years, the well has run out.

Strong rumour is LK stepped in to stop it being sold for far far less than the other teams have been "sold" for lately.

There are people circling but at nowhere near the values that need to be obtained to keep up appearances.

That's why changes like this have been made. It's about appearances and positioning the club to be sold.

Obviously the people at the top have bugger-all confidence in Ninnis, then. A top 4 finish would make the club look quite attractive, and they must have been certain that Ninnis wouldn't get them there, so they’re prepared to gamble big-time on Wells.

Weston is the new JvG, as was suggested above.

To me the 36ers are a cleveland level import away from being a top 4 roster though, so unless they re jig it and find the extra money to get that import i dont think 36ers make the top 6

As I said previously, follow the money.

@Shakes and @Ben

Re: Brisbane - yes, they had been quite the basketcase in previous seasons. But they aren't anymore. Schueller and Lash have turned the club around. There is more stability now. Getting rid of Mackinnon was a good start.

As for Sobey, he was very stubborn and high maintenance. Coming from a source of mine, a close friend and former team mate even said that. It will be interesting how the team goes without him. I think they will be able to fill that hole by committee. It has been 6 straight years since he has seen the playoffs. Maybe there is something to that.

Initially, it felt like a shame that he left. But since then, it has been a good idea. I back Schueller 100%. Although the wording and timing about why Sobey left was bad.

Wow Jacob Wiley goes bang on his facebook...

https://x.com/Tksed_1/status/1824958588416307591

Effectively saying Adelaide refused to pay him or Ninnis properly, Nic Barbato is genuine pond scum.
When he finished games for being 'sick' last year, the club didn't care and offered him no support.

Straight from the horse's mouth.
Just get Adelaide out of the league ffs

missed games*

It's not the club it's the low class individuals running it. The sooner LK takes it over completely and finds a new owner then we can put this sorry chapter of Sixers history behind us.

Wiley's post is very inflammatory.

Who is Jazzy he is referring to? Cadee?

Jacob Wiley isn't he the same guy that said it was nothing in it between Wright and Sobey?

Pretty sure Jazzy is the long serving team manager Lovebroker. Has a good rep with the players from what I've heard. Not surprised he was the guy looking after Wiley when he got sick. I don’t think I realised he was that sick at the time! Very poor from the club if he wasn’t properly cared for though.

The whole contract/ buy out thing makes zero sense to me. Either the contact says we can cut you buy x time and you get a severance of $$$ or its a coaching contract for 2 years and therefor if the club breaks that you have to pay the man the 2 years. Its just seems we are so amateur with these things, it should be black and white. Fuck I hate that I have followed this club so long now that I cant quit.

Wiley walked the walk last year, had an amazing attitude the whole season despite everything going on at the club around him. For him to come out like this, it is a further indictment on the management culture at the Sixers. Barbato in particular shouldn't be allowed in the vicinity of a basketball club, clearly a toxic manager.

I don't get how Wiley was not getting paid.

Something like this would be clear on the contract and not really subject to interpretation.

Not blaming the club as I don't know what to believe.

It's common enough in Europe but rare to hear about it happening here. It's usually done as a tactic to get the player to walk out on their contract, Wiley signed a 2 year deal with us so he had a guaranteed contract for last season which is probably why they were doing it. Asshole behaviour but expected under this owner.

After reading Wileys post it seems to me he was made to attend in July but contractually he wasn't to start for a few months later. The 36ers then started paying him from his contract date rather than when he was told to present himself to work.

I've also heard players have been banned to work out with or even speak with Joey Wright which Wiley confirms.

I believe Wiley's second year was a mutual option which the club chose not to take up. However even with that, I believe Wiley said on his Facebook at the time that he didn't get a proper exit interview, and may have even been informed via text that he wasn't required for next season. I have no reason to believe that isn't true, and is typical of the piss-weak way the club hierarchy seem to treat everyone. I'm of the opinion that Wiley is a stand-up guy and don't think there's a reason not to trust what he says. He clearly loves Adelaide, and the was excited to come back and contribute to the 36ers, but he got spat out by this shitful organisation.

The medical episode he's talking about can be found referenced in articles on the 'net. It was when gastro went through the team. He went to Perth, played half a game but was too ill to play the second half. Got so dehydrated that he needed to be taken off the flight home to be taken to hospital. Jazzy the team manager stayed behind with him in Perth.

Wow.

There's two sides to every story, sure, but Wiley wouldn't put that out there unless he felt extremely harshly done by.

36ers appear to be a complete basket case. Sad.

They really need a full external review. Probably looking back as far as the end of Joey's tenure. But when it's the hierarchy that is the problem, who is going to sign-off on the review?

Wouldn't be the first or last time a self-styled 'hard-nosed businessman' has failed miserably in sports ownership. The two are different animals, and require different approaches. Dreaming of a day that we have competent ownership and management again.

@ChairmanOfTheBored

I believe with letting Wiley go they let his agent know his option wasn't being picked up, but he was pissed there was zero contact from anyone on the team post the season to do an exit interview and/or tell him they were terminating his contract.

So hears nothing for months and then gets told "they're not picking up your deal".

Yeah, completely impersonal, no care for the individual. Sounds about right.

And very arrogant, petty-minded and over-sensitive, if that comment about not talking to Joey is true.

Yes its true

All players have been told they aren't to communicate with Joey. Not juts don't seek his advice or workout with him but actually not even talk to him

Its what cost Adelaide Jack McVeigh

Yes its true

All players have been told they aren't to communicate with Joey. Not juts don't seek his advice or workout with him but actually not even talk to him

Surely a full external review of this club comes at some point.

Joey Wright just wants to make players better, but after he fell out with the club I'm sure they're just paranoid he's going to poison them against key members of club staff. But to be frank they seem to be doing that just fine themselves.

Joey has said something along the lines that he would be happy to come back and coach in the NBL
but he won't coach in the NBL while LK has financial
Interests in the NBL
or something like that.

I did not hear any details of what why whatever
I just remember something along those lines.

His primary love now though is developing raw players.
No one would be more prouder of Jack McV at the moment than Joey.

Scott Ninnis & Brett Maher exclusive interview on Ten News just then launching "Maher Ninnis Basketball" camps for the school holidays. Sucks Maher has cut ties with the club too.

No it doesn't, he clearly has integrity and doesn't wish to have his name associated with an organisation managed by people who have no respect for the harm they cause to others.

Are kids bothered about being coached by ninnies and Maher. Legends in the past but kids want current players.they might fall flat on there faces if they not careful.

The kids don't pay for the clinics though...

From ABC Nees-

NBL coach Mike Wells aims mid-court training tirade at Adelaide 36ers basketballers ahead of Sydney Kings clash
By Matthew Smith

New Adelaide 36ers coach Mike Wells has made no apologies for a heated training session, which included an expletive-laden spray, ahead of his side's NBL opening round clash with the Sydney Kings.

The former NBA assistant coach was unhappy with his players' preparation, just three days out from taking on the league's title favourite.

In an emotionally charged spray, the evidently dissatisfied coach lambasted his players, and then demanded that cameras filming the session be turned off.

"Stop, we are f***ing around," he yelled mid-court.

"It's bullshit.

"Goddamn it, what the f***? Turn the f***ing cameras off too, goddamn it."

Asked afterwards if there were tensions heading into the opening round, a more tranquil Wells responded "absolutely not", saying it was important to create an "emotional" atmosphere and "then be able to reel it back in".

"What you're trying to do is you're trying to get iron to sharpen iron, you're trying to compete, you're trying to get guys to compete at the highest level," he said.

"You're just trying to mould the group and I have an idea of the way I think that we can play and how we can function."

Wells was appointed last month when club favourite Scott Ninnis was sacked, and is trying to get his squad to gel and play unselfish basketball.

A basketball coach during a media conference.
Wells says he is trying to "mould the group". (ABC News)

He said he wanted to be "pushing the lines and pushing the boundaries" with the players.

"We're all at different levels and different, I guess, stages of our professional career. We're all here right now, we've all got Sixers on our chest," he said.

"What we want to do is come together as a group, we want to be hardened by competition."

Adelaide has not won the NBL since 2002 and savagely cut its roster at the end of last season.

Its new-look squad includes late replacement import Montrezl Harrell, and faces an early challenge on Sunday, when the 36ers take on title favourite the Sydney Kings.

"They have a standard and everybody knows the brand," Wells said.

"It's always good for us early in the season to kind of take a shot at somebody that's really good."

I'm starting to doubt the assertion that it was NBL HQ/LK who inserted this guy.