Maybe, but Frank is naturalised so Ballinger may still be a Hawk next season

Found a PC in downtown Tokyo Nino?

Nino, don't you have some sake to drink and a flight of stairs to fall down?

Ballinger a straight swap for Dusty? Where's the benefit? May as well have kept Dusty. I thought the club is looking for something different.

I was under the impression that Ballinger had signed with the Hawks already?

Could we see Cheapshot back just to piss of DC?

at least that would get Whats Hot and Whats Not back!

EC, I don't believe it would happen at all, but I think the price difference between Dusty and Ballinger could be $90,000. I'm sure, would it have happened, you could imagine what you can do with $90k.

The price difference of $90K alone would prevent it happening. Where does this figure come from, it seems over the top. Is it over several seasons? Is Ballinger expected to come on board without being being paid? Perhaps the Government who have control at the moment might do a deal where goes on a "work for the dole" contract.

If the club were looking for something different, they wouldn't have tried to re-sign him. They would've kept him if they could get him a bit cheaper. They had to assume that Holmes would take his option, they'd retain Oscar and that unless Dusty came cheaper, they had no way in hell of improving the roster at the centre position, etc.

That figure comes from guesses at the approximate difference between their 05/06 salaries - yes, from one season - with what I would consider reliable enough sources. If it's not $90k, it's certainly enough that I would be seriously looking at a swap. The difference between Dusty and Ballinger on court is not significant. The difference between what they cost their respective clubs last year is. Why is it that hard to believe? Dusty was on close to the minimum when he first came to the NBL remember.

Yet he is worth more and for a longer period of time elsewhere. The value of anything is determined by the price that people are willing to pay. Dusty got a price that was better than what Adelaide offered, therefore he was worth more than what Adelaide wanted to pay. It is this reasoning that is going to get Adelaide nowhere when it comes to successful negotiations. Its exactly the same story with Oscar and Jacob. How many players does this team need to lose to realise that they are not competing equally with other teams when it comes to negotiations of contracts and luring outsiders into the team.

I know these same negative arguments have been made after each season and yet the Sixers still managed to put together a reasonably competitive team. The situation is somewhat different now in view of the problems with BASA which have come to light and the fact that so many of its key players are choosing to go elsewhere. If the club can't manage to keep its players, what sort of message does that send to any potential recruits?

Yes, a successful price is what the market will bear but I fail to see the relevance of that in this discussion. Simply, Ballinger gives more for your buck - that was my response to your query as to why Adelaide would ever want to replace one blue-collar import with another. Remember that they would've kept Dusty at the right price, they just needed to get cash from somewhere to upgrade Rees to a starting centre.

I've already said plainly that Oscar didn't leave because he was offered more money. If he was about money, he wouldn't have taken a large paycut (can't remember specifics, but 20-30%?) previously in order to get Dusty into the team at all (no one else was sticking their hand up).

You're right that these departures don't necessarily send positive messages to targets, but I think that potential players would recognise that other teams are simply putting more value in our players. The offers to Holmes and Forman wouldn't have been (don't know Holmes' specifics, but would have a rough idea) or weren't (Oscar's case) offensively low.

You're right that they should still manage to put together a competitive team.

Issac, if Oscar didn't leave for money then it could only be for; playing time, problems with coach/administration, longer contract (security) and/or development.

Which was it? It must have been a big difference as friends and family are in SA.

Development.

Isaac and I had this discussion on another thread, and again Ballinger would be a great pickup for the 36ers.

Hell, we need some good news.

Ballinger would produce very similar number to Dusty. He proved with the Hawks that given the court time he will score and rebound. His number were great last year after Rampton went down and he was thrusted into the starting 5.

Ballinger put up 17ppg and 8 rebounds, whilst Dusty put up 19 and 9 last year. Hell, if Ballinger is around the alleged $90k cheaper then I'd have no hesitation to give up the 1 basket and 1 board a game to potentially sign another player with that extra coin??

I'm positive we could find someone that could produce that one basket and one board difference for $90k.

Any idea's on what $90k would bring to the table??? Let's say $90k is high, what would $70k a year bring us??

Isaac,

As you have said on numerous occasion Oscar needs (needed to be) pushed and motivated to improve, did Oscar ever speak to Phil and Steve about his frustration of slow development and ask them if they could help? And if he did and you can answer it what did they say?

Not sure if it fair to ask and I hope it doesn't put you in unpleasant position.

Joe M - I can't answer that here. There's no bad blood or anything like that.

TR - $70k is easily more than enough to go for a college graduate who has 3-4 years of experience. I would guess that you could comfortably get a backup centre or roleplayer for $50-70k.

If that's the case would anyone be offended if I say that if the 36ers could sign Ballinger and at the best:

1) Derek Moore
2) Gordie Cullen,
3) Pero

and maybe at the worst Jason Eversteyn then it would be fair swap for Dusty.

That would give us some decent size in Cooper, Moore, Ballinger and either Cullen, Pero or Eversteyn plus whatever big roster-filler we use at the 11 and 12.

Remember that Ballinger too only came to fruition when injuries occurred and they needed someone to lift.

He showed great potential which would blossom here at Adelaide as a starter.