Patterson is a priority for reloading Brisbane Bullets
Star US import Lamar Patterson is Brisbane’s next re-signing target with Matt Hodgson and Andrej Lemanis set to extend deals at the Bullets
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BRISBANE have made re-signing star import Lamar Patterson a top priority this NBL off-season.
Former NBA swingman Patterson led the Bullets back to the finals for the first time in 11 years and was selected in the All-NBL First team after averaging 18 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.2 steals per game in the regular season.
Patterson will return for another stint in China through the middle of the year but his playing commitments at the end of 2019 remain up in the air.
The Bullets have made preliminary contact with his agent to express their interest in Patterson.
“Lamar and his agent do not want to make any sort of firm decision just yet so we will wait and see what happens closer to the start of the season,’’ Bullets general manager Richard Clarke said.
“But we would obviously like to have him back. It’s a priority for us.
“He enjoyed his time here and he obviously performed very well on court.
“We also expect European clubs to come into the mix given his performances with us.’’
Patterson tweeted last week that he still had not been paid by the Italian club he last played for in February 2018.
While European teams can offer more cash, NBL clubs are much more reliable in paying their players which could work in Brisbane’s favour at the pointy end of negotiations.
The NBL’s free agency period starts on April 1 and Bullets centre Matt Hodgson is likely to officially sign with Brisbane on a two-year deal before the annual meat market gets underway.
Brisbane is also close to finalising a contract extension with head coach Andrej Lemanis.
The biggest fish on the free agency list will be Boomers and Adelaide guard Nathan Sobey. Much like power forward Nick Kay last off-season, every club will be throwing their hat in the ring for the athletic 28-year-old.
Brisbane is understood to be looking to bolster its backcourt and should be one of many suitors for Sobey’s signature.
Sobey plays under Lemanis in the national team set-up and would find himself in a familiar system alongside a host of Boomers teammates at the Bullets.
Sobey is currently playing in France and has been linked to expansion club, South East Melbourne Phoenix.
Adelaide coach Joey Wright recently indicated the 36ers would not sell the farm to keep Sobey.
“I’m not worried at all, I’ve never been a slave to talent,” Wright said.
“We’ve had great players since I’ve been here and we’ve had great players who have left since I’ve been here and we’ve still been successful.
“To me it’s always been more important to be about the group than the individual. Sobey is an extremely talented individual but I’d be more disappointed if we lost all 12 of our players than one of them.”
Originally published as Patterson is a priority for reloading Brisbane Bullets
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