Aussie Basketball Discussion

[The X]

My favourite is still New Zealand though... as dirty as that makes me feel

You'd like the Blaze more if.they still had EBG

[Kenny]

True, the combination of Casey Frank and Chris Goulding is pretty epic... or at least it would be.

[The X]

I dislike James Harvey & Mark Worthington almost as much as that chump Shawn Redhage.

[Kenny]

But Wortho was the Aussies' MVP

[koberulz]

@ Patty Mills.

[The X]

:lol: @ Patty Mills.

Yes, I just thought that too I guess karma can bite. He should've at least waited until after this weekend to sign given that season had to start by Xmas Day or season was lost.

I think he won't play in NBA again to tell you the truth. At the very least, he won't play for Blazers again, who've already got Armon Johnson & Nolan Smith as backups. I'm working on assumption that his Chinese deal is signed, sealed & delivered.

[Kenny]

It's hard seeing him amount to anything more than a role player on a mediocre team. How long is his contract in China? Is it the entire NBA season? Because from my understanding, J.R. Smith (and possibly Wilson Chandler) would be available towards the end of the season. I'm wondering whether Patty has a similar deal.

[The X]

I think CBA season finishes around March, so they'd be presumably available after that time to latch onto somebody's playoff roster.

I could see the likes of J.R. Smith & Wilson Chandler both doing this. Given Chandler is a restricted free agent, surely the Nuggets have best shot of keeping him if they so choose.

[Kenny]

I just hope they don't come back and end up sucking (like Josh Childress did)

[Andrew]

Ouch indeed for Patty Mills. Still, as you said there's arguably a fairly low ceiling on just how far he was going to go in the NBA, but I believe he'll get another shot at some point. Looks like Bogut is our lone representative again.

[Kenny]

So what's going on with David Anderson? Is he a free agent?

[The X]

Looks like Bogut is our lone representative again.

And possibly Sean Marks, that's if Oz has claimed him yet

[Andrew]

We can do, at least until he throws a phone in a hotel lobby. Or calls someone sugartits. At least Crowded House has had Australian members and was formed in Melbourne.

[koberulz]

I think he won't play in NBA again to tell you the truth.

This. And unless he can get back to the form he was in in his last few games for the Tigers, he'll struggle to make the Boomers team in the future, too (provided Brown has any sense).

I'm working on assumption that his Chinese deal is signed, sealed & delivered.

He's already played two games, so that would certainly appear to be the case.

[Dan's Brain]

Looks like Bogut is our lone representative again.

And possibly Sean Marks, that's if Oz has claimed him yet

We'll take Sean Marks in exchange for Kyle Sandilands and a future first round pick.

Or calls someone sugartits

Who was that again?

[The X]

Looks like Bogut is our lone representative again.

And possibly Sean Marks, that's if Oz has claimed him yet

We'll take Sean Marks in exchange for Kyle Sandilands and a future first round pick.

Or calls someone sugartits

Who was that again?

Pass and Russell Crowe

[Andrew]

Sugartits was Mel Gibson, Russell Crowe threw the phone.

I don't think we can inflict Kyle Sandilands on anyone. Just cut him.

[Kenny]

If only we could buy out Sandilands and just let him spend the rest of his career in free agency...

[Andrew]

Waive him with the amnesty clause.

[Dan's Brain]

Waive him with the amnesty clause.

Works for me.

Can I declare myself Vice President of Australia Operations and make the move now? Or do I have to wait for the union to reform?

Because waiting sucks.

[Kenny]

I knew that amnesty clause came in for a reason...

[Andrew]

Let it be so!

Getting back to the NBL, I'm thinking a good way to increase interest in the future would be to get some involvement with the NBA, like the Europe Live tours they've done in previous preseasons. Obviously there's not much that can be done this year since the NBA will be having a hurried offseason and the NBL comp is underway, but an NBA vs NBL game might raise the league's profile and bring fans in. Sure, it probably won't go too well for the NBL side in the game itself, but if it gets fans in and watching there might be some cases of "Hey, (Aussie player) is pretty good, I'll have to keep an eye on him", creating interest and potentially another fan.

Admittedly getting NBA players involved and playing an exhibition here in Australia accounts for most of my interest in the idea, but I could see myself as being one of the people taking more of an interest in the NBL from that.

[koberulz]

Why would the NBA do that, though? And really, would it do anything for most people other than reaffirm that the NBL is a tenth-rate league?

Watched game three of the 1990 grand final last night. The guy who burned it for me left the commercials in. It aired live at 11AM, then because the Wildcats won they replayed it at 10.55PM complete with coverage of the 'Cats plane landing back in Perth. In addition, there were basketball players or references in every second ad. Blinds, banks, fast food, some car wash product...what the hell happened? Eight years and nobody pays any attention to basketball whatsoever.

[Andrew]

The same reason they've played games in China, England and various European countries. To expand into international markets and make money.

As for reaffirming the NBL's status as an inferior league...perhaps, but if it brings fans to the games then like I said, those fans are also getting some exposure to the NBL and players they could take an interest in. I don't see how they could be any worse off for doing it.

[Kenny]

In the end it would be more about exposure than trying to prove how "elite" the competition is in the NBL. The biggest obstacle with the idea would be convincing the right people in the NBA. Even if a lower tier team like the Raptors or the Kings came along, it'd be more positive than negative.