‘We’re searching’: Battling Melbourne United on the lookout for replacement imports

With their championship winners in the NBA powerhouse Melbourne United has battled to find decent replacements.

Changes are coming for the underperforming Melbourne United.

After three losses in a row and twice being routed on their home floor by reigning champions Sydney Kings in the space of 14 days, United coach Dean Vickerman conceded that roster moves were on the horizon as he tries to salvage the season after a worrying 2-4 start.

Vickerman was matter-of-fact when asked if he was seeking a new recruit to add to the mix.

“Yep,” he said.

“I‘ve been open – we’re searching for a guy.

“We haven’t found the right guy yet.”

Could import Jordan Caroline be the odd man out?

Vickerman took the extraordinary step of singling out Caroline’s offensive work against the Kings and comparing it to that of former United player Jack White, who is now in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets.

Caroline got himself into some great positions to score against the Kings but struggled to finish off his work with just seven points on 3-of-11 shooting.

“We were talking in the locker room and it was like, ‘Wow, if Jack White had every one of those kinds of catches where he caught it and those takes at the rim and just was able to finish it, they were 11 kind of good shots,” Vickerman said.

“He just hasn’t been able to finish some of those over the length of people in this league.”

United will search far and wide for a player that can improve their roster.

They will likely target a centre to help their interior presence.

“The games that we’ve won the boards we’ve won the game kind of thing,” Vickerman said.

“We just haven‘t been able to compete in that area or have another threat certainly running at the rim and finishing.”

Dean Vickerman is looking to add to his roster. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Isaac Humphries has been forced to go it alone at centre with Ariel Hukporti injured, but he has been left frustrated by foul trouble.

Humphries was threatening to be a matchwinner against the Kings but fizzled out when the fouls started stacking up.

“Obviously, that first quarter and the way we started the game was really pleasing,” Vickerman said.

“Especially the connection between X (Xavier Rathan-Mayes) and ‘Ice’ (Humphries).

“On the fouling situation, we need him on the floor. We were hoping to get 28 minutes (he played 18) out of him tonight.”

There could be some key internal additions to the game-day squad in time for United‘s clash with Illawarra Hawks in Wollongong on Saturday.

Vickerman expects young point guard Lachie Barker to play after a concussion and will welcome him with open arms if he does.

“That will allow me, when mistakes are happening or when people are tired, we’ve got another guy that can really handle the ball and organise,” Vickerman said.

It isn’t quite happening for Vickerman or Chris Goulding. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Starting point guard Shea Ili is aiming for a return for the Hawks clash but will need everything to go right in his preparation as he takes a delicate route back from concussion.

Ili took part in non-contact training on Saturday and had some mild symptoms, but Vickerman said it “wasn‘t something that’s too concerning”.

“I think we‘re going to be pretty close to starting to see some form of contact (training) during this week,” he said.

“If he gets through that, there‘s a possible opportunity to play the next game.

“It’s been seven weeks or so, so it’s been a long time, but it’s something you just can’t mess with.

“You can take whatever scans, but it’s so much symptom-based with him.

“He couldn‘t deal with light there for a while and we had him practising in different venues by himself.”

Originally published as ‘We’re searching’: Battling Melbourne United on the lookout for replacement imports