Crosscourt column: Latest basketball news out of round three of the NBL season

Club spends in the NBL have always been a closely-guarded secret. But Crosscourt has lifted the lid on what every club spent on their players last season. Who are the haves and have nots?

Here’s proof that the championship-winning Sydney Kings didn’t buy a title.

Crosscourt has seen last season’s final club expenditure report, which shows the Kings spent $135,000 under the league’s soft salary cap.

This figure defies the fury of rival fans, who attacked Sydney last season for ‘buying’ a championship.

These perceptions were sparked by a stacked roster, featuring former NBA players like Jaylen Adams, Jarell Martin and championship-winning former Golden State guard Ian Clark.

Kings legend and club owner Andrew Bogut came out strongly at the end of last season and refuted claims the club paid for its chip.

“It’s easy to assume that the Kings are over the cap based on the team’s talent and depth,” Bogut wrote.

“Easy, but incorrect because we’re not paying a dollar in luxury tax to the NBL under the league’s soft cap structure.

Title-winner Sydney stayed under the cap in NBL22. Picture: Getty Images

“Your Sydney Kings salary cap spend was $1,501,592.63. We were under the salary cap for the season and just to keep things in perspective, that spend put the Sydney Kings in seventh for total spends. Yes, SEVENTH.

“One might say the Sydney Kings were the true “Cinderella story” of this past NBL season.”

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Here’s the evidence to back up Bogut.

Our investigation can reveal that three teams exceeded the soft cap, including the Perth Wildcats, who were $400,000 over the soft cap, despite failing to make the finals for the first time in 35 years.

The NBL’s fairytale story, the Tasmania JackJumpers, also spent $90,000 over the soft cap, however it’s believed they operate under a cap exemption for a period of time as the league’s newest club.

The NBL set its 2021-22 cap ceiling at $1,637,893.94, while teams must pay players at least $1,474,104.55.

These figures have risen by four per cent this season, the ceiling at $1,703,239.36 and the floor at $1,533,068.73.

The report also uncovered that Perth spent $700,000 more than Cairns, who were one of two clubs alongside Brisbane that spent under the minimum player salary amount of $1.4 million.

It’s understood clubs also receive cap allowances for marquee players.

Who were the biggest spenders in the NBL last season?

The Kings’ spending was significantly reduced last season, largely due to multiple injuries to guard Jaylen Adams.

Adams had an injury-interrupted start to the season, sitting out rounds two to seven with an ankle injury. A hamstring injury also prevented him from finishing the season.

Under the rules, an injured player’s payment comes off the cap and is replaced by the replacement player.

Forward Xavier Cooks also missed games at the start of last season while big man Jordan Hunter was ruled out for the season with a foot injury, further reducing Sydney’s spend.

NBL legend Chris Anstey has welcomed the report detailing each club’s spend, saying it could pave the way for greater transparency.

“I think this is a positive step towards player salaries becoming public,” Anstey said.

“It gives people insights into how a club spends. Then we can truly know if a team has overachieved or underachieved based on what they’ve spent.

“It’s good to know what a team is spending. The NBA has done it for a long time.”

All NBL clubs are obliged to submit players’ contracts for approval.

At the end of the season the league sends out a complete summary of every team’s salary cap spending, including a breakdown of total player payments.

Every club has full transparency on what each team spends on their roster.

The NBL has a soft cap that revolves around a Salary Equalisation Subsidy or ‘luxury tax’.

Clubs that spend one per cent-15 per cent above the cap pay 25 cents of luxury tax for every dollar over the cap.

If the percentage spend is 16-30 per cent over, they pay 50 cents on each extra dollar. That rises to $1 for every $1 over if they exceed the cap by 31-50 per cent and finally, the tax is $1.50 for every $1 spent over the cap if the percentage spend is over 50 per cent above.

DISLIKES

Squad update:
Lachie Barker will miss tomorrow and next Thursday’s home games after sustaining a concussion during last night’s game in Perth.

Josh Duach will join the team in his place. pic.twitter.com/3ANJ98Gp91

— Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) October 15, 2022

NBL GOT WAGSTAFF CALL WRONG

The NBL has been accused of going soft after citing Perth Wildcats big man Jesse Wagstaff for unduly rough play for what seemed like a fair screen.

Wagstaff caught the attention of the game review panel over an incident that left Melbourne United guard Lachie Barker concussed.

Barker was felled when he collided with a hard Wagstaff screen, late in the first quarter of United’s pulsating win in Perth.

Barker’s face made heavy contact with Wagstaff’s shoulder and play had to be stopped as the 26-year-old lay dazed on the court.

Hey @NBL I’m sure you guys are busy enough without wasting time on this. Text book screen from Wagstaff! Maybe fine the player for United for not communicating it to his team mate🙄 https://t.co/xu5p5srmi6

— Shane Heal (@ShaneHeal) October 15, 2022

Barker took no further part in the contest.

However, the decision to cite Wagstaff for unduly rough play has been described as an injustice by furious fans and former players on social media.

NBL and Boomers legend Shane Heal summed up the fury when he said: “I know the world has gone mad but why would he have anything to answer?

Great screen. Play on.”

LET’S PLAY FOR KEEPS ON NBLxNBA
After a two-year hiatus, few clubs were interested in taking part in this year’s NBLxNBA games.
Many were concerned at the toll it would take on their players to make the trip to the states and play exhibition games — while those back home had already commenced the regular season.
Adelaide was the only team to accept the opportunity, stunning the Phoenix Suns to become the first NBL club to defeat an NBA opponent and then losing to Oklahoma City.

The Adelaide 36ers stunned NBL club Phoenix. Picture: Getty Images

But the 36ers’ lacklustre showing in their season-opener — in round three — proved clubs’ point.

The Sixers’ stacked roster was blown to bits by the JackJumpers, who smashed them by 25. It’s time the NBL took these games more seriously, made it easier for clubs to make the trip — and added some incentive.

Why not push back the season a couple of weeks, make up the games midweek, and give the top-four NBL teams first dibs? It would obviously require a number of NBA teams to come to the party, but the Sixers’ win gave the NBL added legitimacy. Let’s capitalise on it.

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NBL BETTER TO WATCH THAN NBA?

Is the NBL more enjoyable to watch than the world’s best league in the NBA?

It seems like a crazy statement, but two Australian basketball greats believe it to be true.

Three-time NBA champion and Aussie hoops royalty Luc Longley has been telling everyone who cares to listen for some time that he prefers to watch the NBL over the NBA.

Longley has the support of fellow Australian legend Andrew Gaze, who recently shared his views on SEN Radio.

“I said it when I was in the States recently for the Adelaide v OKC game, but I’d prefer to watch and get more interest out of an NBL game than I do an NBA game,” Gaze said.

“Luc also said it just a couple of days ago and it’s because of the variations.

“In the NBA, you watch one team, and everyone does the same thing. You get athleticism and the skill, which is clearly unbelievable, but just watching games, I’d rather watch the NBL.”

TUCKER RESPONDS AND TIPPING CHAOS
Melbourne United import guard Rayjon Tucker was challenged after a poor shooting performance and he responded in style.

Tucker was average in last round’s big loss to Sydney, scoring just five points, but he displayed strong character to respond in an impressive road victory over Perth on Friday.

The former Milwaukee Buck finished with 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists.

Every year we say it, but this might genuinely be the most competitive NBL season ever.
None of the 10 clubs has made it out of round three unscathed, with each suffering at least one loss.

Rayjon Tucker’s response to a down game was emphatic against. Picture: Getty Images

The reigning champion Sydney Kings spilt their first game of the season against title outsiders Cairns.
The Taipans are $29 with Tab.com.au to win this year’s chip, but that didn’t stop Adam Forde’s helter-skelter men running the Kings ragged on their home floor.
A night earlier, Tasmania — which is $41 with the TAB — belted the living suitcase out of Adelaide on its return from the US.
And Melbourne United — off the back of a hammering at the hands of the Kings — made the treacherous journey to Perth’s RAC Arena and dealt the Wildcats their first loss of this campaign in perhaps the best game of the young season.

Good luck if you’re doing NBL tipping.
Two teams missed out on finals by the skin of their teeth last season and now, with the expanded finals format, six will get a postseason opportunity.

This competition is WIDE open.

SNAKES HAVE SERIOUS BITE 

This column tipped Cairns to finish last this season, but they’ve defied the doubters to become the ultimate road warriors to start NBL23.

The Taipans have won three of their four road games, including a big victory in Sydney this round.

Cairns big man Keanu Pinder has started the season on fire, averaging 17.2 games, 10 rebounds and 3.2 assists. Pinder’s hot opening to the season has raised the question: “Can he make an All-NBL team this season?”.

Keanu Pinder has been a monster for the Taipans. Picture: Getty Images

The resounding response online is a yes.

Taipans coach Adam Forde even took the time to comment “Yes” on the Instagram post about his star big man.

Pinder also excelled playing for the Boomers during the successful gold medal-winning Asia Cup campaign, so don’t be surprised if we see him in the green and gold again soon.

As for the Taipans, they are fun to watch, and definitely the surprise packets to open the season.

Is it time to take them seriously?

Originally published as Crosscourt column: Latest basketball news out of round three of the NBL season