No Magnay, can't see JJs get near kings. Kings by 12.

If Steindl is in your starting five, you're in trouble.

Kings so much better with Adams playing, he still looks proppy. Kings are deepish, not convinced they are big enough in 4-5 spots to win championship.

Rucker, Noi get down the other end and play D, after high fiving a few fans.

Adams doesn't look good, he’s having a go though. Kings clearly missing Hunter.

The Kouat Noi Experience

Noi 5 from 5 threes and kings only lead by eight. JJs still play good D but kings just don't look great. Average game.

What is going on in this game Michael Aylon is wearing his grumpy pants today. Lucky he didn't ref the previous game.

What is marginal contact? You can hit them but if it doesn't hurt anyone it's ok?

JJs are the worst they have been since their time in the league, yes lost McVeigh, Lee and MacDonald and Magnay out today but they just don't look like they can win. I can’t see them in finals.

Championship to Spoon potentially incoming

Hard to believe how badly Doyle is playing... consistently. Crawford having his moments but not much better and some brain explosions

Still not sure about the kings though. Robertson getting far more minutes than his contribution deserves. They get in a rut easily and try to shoot their way out of it rather than go to their quality bigs

Kings v SEM Friday could be interesting

Kinda depressing watching the JJs these days unfortunately.

Roth is a great coach but he's not a magician. Lost McVeigh, lost Lee. No Magnay and no MacDonald, they won't win many games with this line-up

I'm not sure they 'lost' Lee I don't think they intended to re-sign him and went with Gak as a local replacement and then used their third import spot on Sword. Yes, Magnay and Macdonald are out.

The McVeigh departure so late in the off-season screwed them. They had no import spots left and no comparable local FA to replace him so late so just grabbed Te Rangi. McVeigh pretty much carried the JJ's in the playoffs all the way to the title. He was the one player they couldn't afford to lose especially so late.

I still had them scraping into the play-in games though I expected Sword would get replaced for a better import. His contract would need to be paid out now so I think the JJ's might just rule a line through this season and just hope McVeigh comes back at some point.

From the presser, I would say an announcement of change in roster could be coming anytime and I am expecting a big name 4/5. Roth directed the media pack to Olgun saying ask him he will know before I do. JJ executed much better tonight. Problem was there was way too little of it and the well was still way to dry for Doyle and Crawford. Other positives, Magnay's injury doesn’t sound serious. MacDonald travelled with the team and Gak looks like he is a rough diamond that will polish up nicely for future seasons. Otherwise soundly beaten and great game from Noi. Can’t see Larry letting the JJs continue on in this fashion for much longer.

That is something I forgot about LK still having a large ownership stake in the JJ's, in that case paying out Sword to upgrade on him wouldn't be too much of an issue then.

Don't be so sure about LK. He's going to need to spend a bit on the WNBL over the next 24 months.

He is still trying to sell the JJs for top dollar and their value is on the slide without intervention.

Roth saying they are not making any changes, they will just keep working and hope it changes and make a few shots.

Dunkman, there would gave been nothing lost in definitively saying JJs are making no changes if that was what's happening. He said JJs are sticking with the group they have until something happens and he is not sharing with the media the JJ,s internal roster discussions. There is no way they are not making a change.

Ok, it's not the way I understood it, but i think you’re probably right. Not certain who or what they can change and it might be all too late anyway.

They were always going to move on Terangi if McVeigh returned. That would be the easiest change to sell to the franchise and playing group etc. There was talk the Rockets were going to guarantee McVeigh's money but not sure that actually happened. Maker has signed with the Rockets G League affiliate so that rules him out. What is Mitch Creek doing? SEM flying high now after today so maybe not rejoining their roster. Otherwise would have to be a change of import. Anybody’s guess really.

SEM still own Creek's NBL rights for this season as he still had a year to go on his contract.

What is creek doing. Where is he. Is he injured ... be game breaker pick up. Go west

Seems that Tassie need a 4/5, Creek is here (a 4/4 rather than a 4/5, I know) and not playing. Could Tassie buy-out Creek's contract and use him for the rest of this season, at least.

If McVeigh returns, this year or next, and if Creek stays, then that will be a team to contend with.

Magnay/Krislovic/Gak
Creek/Deng
McVeigh/Drmic
Steindle
Macdonald/Barker
(DP,s)

Is that all of them? Yeah, except for 3 imports! Maybe just go with 2 imports, 2 Marquees, and 1 import up your sleeve if needed. If the 2 imports are Doyle and Crawford, reasonably priced, That is a hell of a team.

Sorry Craig Sword and Rueben TeRangi.

Why would SEM release Creek to make a direct opponent better. Creek himself has said he's waiting for a better paid OS gig, he can probably play in Puerto Rico in the off season for good money with half the pressure. He’s probably set himself up and now it’s just bonus time or he’ll retire.

Dunkman, I imagine refusal to release a player that is not on your roster so they can earn an income would amount to restraint of trade. I think it is all academic with the JJs and Creek though as the CEO was very adamant earlier in the year that he was not someone they would pursue. But who knows were the direction to come from on high. But for those off court issues he would probably be the best fit plug and play for the JJs as I have heard him talk with a great deal of insight about their systems and schemes and how McVeigh opened up the floor for Doyle etc. Seems at the moment plan A, B and C for opposition teams is stop Doyle and JJs simply can't score enough points to win. That will remain the case until they bring in another gun scorer. I think deep down Roth knows that.

It's not restraint of his trade Creek signed a 3 year deal with SEM, his second one, and only fulfilled the first 2 years of it. He asked for permission to be released from it so he could play overseas not so he could turn around and sign with another NBL team whilst SEM still own his rights. Tough. He will be an NBL free agent after the season and can then sign with any team he likes.

That of course doesn't mean something can't be worked out by SEM and the JJ's but we saw how pissed the Kings were when Vasiljevic refused to come back and fuflfill the rest of his contract and turned around and signed with the 36ers. They let it go through, when they legally didn't have to and were quite unhappy about it.

Creek is not the answer for anyone in the NBL

"we saw how pissed the Kings were when Vasiljevic refused to come back and fuflfill the rest of his contract and turned around and signed with the 36ers. They let it go through, when they legally didn't have to and were quite unhappy about it."

The Kings had the right of refusal with Vasiljevic, they just chose not to take up that option. Yeah they were sooky, but they had no right to be.

In the case of SEM, I agree, can't see them not choosing to have Creek back if he decides to play NBL again this year.

Not exactly, Vasiljevic negotiated his contract with the 36ers in private and according to the Kings they only knew something was going on when they were asked to sign off on it.

Moller and a new import.

Listening to the presser again everything Roth said in context makes sense if the "until something happened" remark was McVeigh coming back. If the Rockets haven't guaranteed his money, my understanding is they have until 31 December to waive him without penalty. After that, his money becomes guaranteed under the 2 way rules. That is the Xmas thing that has been speculated. So, maybe leaving everything open for McVeigh to return is the ultimate driver for everything. If he comes back this season then great. If not then next year and basically happy to rule a line through this season and develop players like Gak and build up a war chest for next year (with the savings on McVeigh’s contract) to try again to get WMW or Armstrong in free agency. Problem with that is you run Doyle into the ground in the meantime and maybe some players eventually become disillusioned.

Totally agree with Zodiac and Sebastian, Creek on D I don't think would make Roth happy and SEM own Creeks rites. Creek has also said he’s not going to play for any other nbl club, he’ll go down as a SEM star even though there results haven’t shown that.

@ PW, Moller would play very well under Roth, just don't see him staying in nbl. If JJs going to wait till end December the season could be well and truly over, I think Roth will stick with what he’s got, your side could use his game and stability by the way.

"Not exactly, Vasiljevic negotiated his contract with the 36ers in private and according to the Kings they only knew something was going on when they were asked to sign off on it."

Sydney had the right of refusal. They could have signed Vasiljevic at that point but they chose not to. There was nothing saying DJ couldn't negotiate with other clubs, only that Sydney had to release him before he signed, which they chose to do.

I think Roth will stick with what he's got, your side could use his game and stability by the way.

I still remember the "Sword will win DPOY because he's the best defender Doyle has seen" comments.
Now he's about to get bounced.

I was one of those Mystro and Zodiac took me to task at the time. Yes, got that one very wrong. Also tipped SEM for chip which was another kiss of death. JJs wanted someone to shut down the likes of PJC and can't see Sword doing much other than fouling out in quick time if he is given that job and tries to stay in front of him. If JJs can’t score more than 60 again on Saturday night it is going to be another big loss and damaging to the brand. Not sure how much longer JJs can hold out especially if the Cats also do a number on them on Thursday. Roth not keen to burn Sword’s money but it is not as if the JJs don’t have plenty in hand with the savings on McVeighs contract.

KL, it's all good I hope I wasn't too harsh at the time. G-League imports tend to be more miss than hit for a variety of reasons inc G-League pays peanuts so those playing there are young guys betting on themselves to get into the NBA or guys not good enough/too scared to put their balls on the line in a real league.

Sword aside from a very brief stint in the NBA a few years ago has mostly spent his career playing in the G-League and a couple of other minor leagues. Nothing serious. He was signed by the JJ's when McVeigh was still there, likely at the right price to be a complimentary import not to be relied upon for much more than defence.

Once McVeigh left I thought Roth would be ruthless and cut Sword asap and combine his money with some of McVeigh's money for an import better able to handle the now changed job description. Perhaps Roth expected McVeigh to come back early, perhaps his ego got the better of him and he thought he could win any way?

Think there's a two-way guarantee date in early to mid December I believe. Maybe they are holding out for that.

Going to be too late to salvage things by then I suspect.

I think it's the end December, it’ll be to late for changes.

All good Zodiac, yes the proof has been in the pudding with Sword and G league recruiting. Roth is a master coach and yes I think he has been (and still is) waiting for McVeigh to return. His track record in finding rough diamonds and making players out of them is something I think that really gives him satisfaction. But Terangi has been a bridge too far (Gak might be a winner though) and Deng needs help at the 4. JJs run so much through Doyle and without someone like McVeigh for the opposition to worry about they can just run all their heavy D on Doyle and the JJs just can't score heavily enough. MacDonald not being there to help out is also a big part of that equation.

McVeigh made his NBA debut today. Played 2 minutes.