NBL 2024 Offseason: Team grades (so far) and potential targets
A comprehensive look at how every NBL team stands so far.
With the passing of the NBA playoffs, the NBA draft cycle and now the Australian Boomers playing their warmup games in Melbourne, we’re nearing towards another NBL season, with the preseason NBL Blitz in Queensland and Round One HoopsFest both announced. Teams are coming together too, with only a handful of local spots remaining and a good portion of import choices already made.
Let’s take a look at how things are shaping up so far, with a preliminary grade on every NBL team’s offseason to date, and a look at who could be in the running for some of those final positions.
Credit: May Bailey Photography
Sydney Kings: A
After an underwhelming season under head coach Mahmoud Abdelfattah last season, the Kings have brought back Brian Goorjian on the quest for his fourth championship with the team.
Along with him have been a slew of changes, headlined by the return of Xavier Cooks. With DJ Hogg’s inconsistent availability and play last season, having the 2022-23 NBL MVP back in purple will be a massive step back in the right direction.
Cooks’ signing, as well as the signing of Bul Kuol highlights a focus on pursuing elite, local talent, as well as an emphasis for the Kings to improve on the defensive side of the floor. Though coach Abdelfattah inherited the desire to play breakneck offence —much like coach Buford before him— defence seemed to be a lesser priority in terms of team build and on-court emphasis. The Kings ended with the second-worst defensive rating in the league at 114.4, an agenda that ultimately proved its imbalance.
Kuol’s elite on-ball defence at the wing position is a rare skillset around the league, and his outside shooting, which hit a career-best 40.8% this past season with Cairns, will be an essential element in the Kings’ starting unit, given Cooks is a non-shooter.
The addition of Cam Oliver as their first announced import is a fun one. After a few seasons plying his trade in Europe and Asia, Oliver returns to the league where he was so successful with Cairns across the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons. Oliver is another elite rim finisher with highlight NBA athleticism, and a great rebounder when locked in. Though 6’8, the Cooks/Oliver front-court should be more tenable from a size perspective in the NBL, given our lack of traditional bigs and quick pace of play.
Oliver’s defensive engagement did waver at times in Cairns, but hopefully Goorjian’s tutelage allows him to live up to his full potential on both ends. A solid outside threat as a Taipan, Oliver has shot under 30% from three since leaving the league, so his ability to invert the floor is another question mark worth keeping an eye on.
The way the Kings filled out their depth out has been savvy.
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