A Boomers legend is set to continue his career in Europe despite his club’s financial turmoil, the Brisbane Bullets embrace “The Process”, and the Illawarra Hawks add another veteran to their roster.
All that and more in the latest edition of NBL Daily.
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SPURS REUNION SET IN FRANCE
Patty Mills is expected to honour his contract with LDLC ASVEL despite the financial uncertainty surrounding the French club, according to Eurohoops.net.
The report comes after BeBasket revealed ASVEL had been forced to slash its projected budget from €59 million (A$96 million) to €24 million (A$39 million) after French basketball’s financial watchdog, the DNCCG, refused to approve a major prospective commercial partner.
The financial setback has already had a significant impact on the club’s roster.
Star guard Sylvain Francisco has departed the club before even playing a game, with Panathinaikos paying his buyout, while fellow recruit Armoni Brooks is also expected to leave despite previously agreeing to join the club.
Unlike his fellow guards, Mills is reportedly set to remain committed to Tony Parker’s project.
According to BeBasket, Mills’ long-standing relationship with Parker played a significant role in his decision, with the pair helping lead the San Antonio Spurs to the 2014 NBA championship.
The Australian veteran is coming off an outstanding campaign with Tenerife, averaging 18.1 points per game in the Spanish League. His season included a 36-point performance against Barcelona and 29 points in a historic playoff victory over Real Madrid.
Cotton scores first points for Australia | 00:27
While a return to the NBL always appeared unlikely, Australian basketball fans had continued to hold out hope that the NBA champion could eventually finish his career back home.
Instead, Mills now appears set to continue his European journey, reuniting with his former Spurs teammate as he looks to add another chapter to one of Australian basketball’s greatest careers.
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‘THE PROCESS’ COMES TO BRISBANE
Brisbane Bullets coach and President of Basketball Operations Will Weaver has made it clear he isn’t chasing a quick fix, instead embracing a long-term rebuild as he looks to turn the struggling club into an NBL championship contender.
Speaking to CODE Sports, Weaver outlined his vision for the Bullets, stressing that transforming the club from the bottom of the ladder into a title contender will be a process measured in years rather than months.
Brisbane enters the NBL27 season looking to rebound from a disappointing 6-27 campaign that saw the club finish last on the ladder, while the Bullets have now gone seven seasons without reaching the playoffs and 19 years without winning an NBL championship.
For Weaver, however, rebuilding organisations has become a defining feature of his coaching career.
“For whatever reason, my career has centred on builds,” Weaver told CODE Sports.
“The Sixers, the Nets, Houston and college life, it has always felt like I was being trained to know how you take something from the studs up to somewhere you dream about living. We’re well and truly in that process at Brisbane right now.
“The process is going to be measured in years and not months or wins or any other short-term goal, but that is really what appeals to me professionally is to have this on my basketball gravestone one day if we do it right.”
Weaver’s appointment has already ushered in significant change, with the Bullets reshaping their roster through the additions of Nate Hinton, Jaylin Williams, Arnas Velička, Max Mackinnon, Lat Mayen, Harry Rouhliadeff and Rio Bruton.
That group will join returning players Tyrell Harrison, Jacob Holt, Sam McDaniel, Taine Murray and Mitch Norton as Brisbane looks to lay the foundations for sustained success.
The former NBA assistant and 2019 G League Coach of the Year believes assembling the right people is the first step towards restoring one of the league’s foundation clubs.
“You’ve got to fill the building up with really good people and players, and then you have to align your values and deliver on your promises,” Weaver said.
“Creating the place where people can kill it is your job, whether that is with an NBA team in Philadelphia and it is called ‘The Process’ or you land in Brisbane and you are trying to sort out how to go from last to where we want it to end up.”
While the Bullets may not be expected to contend immediately, Weaver’s message is clear: Brisbane’s focus is no longer on short-term results, but on building a foundation capable of delivering sustained championship success.
Eastern Washington’s Aussie connection | 01:22
HAWKS BRING BACK VETERAN GUARD
The Illawarra Hawks have added another experienced piece to their roster, securing veteran guard Kyle Adnam on a one-year deal for the Hungry Jack’s NBL27 season.
The 13-year NBL veteran returns to Wollongong for a third stint with the club after previously representing the Hawks during the 2014-15 and 2022-23 campaigns.
Adnam joins the Hawks as a Nominated Replacement Player, bringing 261 games of NBL experience and valuable backcourt depth to Justin Tatum’s squad.
The 32-year-old arrives in strong form after producing a stunning 70-point performance for Sandringham in the NBL1 South, reinforcing his reputation as one of the competition’s most accomplished scorers.
His arrival strengthens an already talented guard rotation featuring Tyler Harvey, Will Hickey, Johny Narkle and Kobe McDowell-White as Illawarra prepares for the NBL27 campaign.
The Hawks have also assembled an experienced frontcourt featuring Sam Froling, Wani Swaka Lo Buluk, Todd Blanchfield, Dan Grida, Mason Peatling and Amarco Doyle.
Illawarra will open its NBL27 campaign on September 20 with a trip across the Tasman to take on the New Zealand Breakers at Spark Arena.
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