Logue Down: Kings part-owner Andrew Bogut says championship or bust for big-spending Sixers
Despite Adelaide closing ranks over its season expenditure following Andrew Bogut’s explosive claim, more details are emerging about the Sixers’ elevated player-wage bill.
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More details have emerged about big-spending Adelaide’s player-wage bill in the wake of Andrew Bogut’s claim the 36ers are the NBL’s new cash kings.
Sydney Kings’ part-owner Bogut, this week, heaped pressure on the bulging Sixers’ roster, claiming the club had splashed the cash in an attempt to “buy a championship”.
Adelaide officials have closed ranks, refusing to answer questions, but News Corp has been told the Sixers’ spend would greatly exceed season 2021-22, where the club was $140,000 under the $1,637,893.94 soft cap.
That figure placed them sixth in the NBL last season but Bogut believes the 36ers are now “the highest spenders by far”.
The 2022-23 cap ceiling was set at $1,703,239.36 and, under league rules, teams can exceed that figure, but must pay a luxury tax for every extra dollar they spend.
A source told News Corp, imports Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland had both commanded “astronomical” money to move to Adelaide.
It’s also understood new arrival Ian Clark is earning approximately US$50,000 net a month for the remainder of the 2022-23 NBL season.
Star guard Mitch McCarron, veteran Daniel Johnson, and defensive dynamo Sunday Dech are all on higher wages in NBL23. Kai Sotto’s money went up, although he is a special restricted player and therefore his wage does not count against the salary cap.
It means the Sixers have gone all in on a title, although owner Grant Kelley, in the latest episode of NBL documentary Unrivalled, denied the club had spent big.
“We spent roughly the same budget as prior years but what’s changed this year is we’ve recruited well,” Kelley said in the documentary, which airs on Friday night on Kayo and Foxtel.
While the comments were from earlier in the season, News Corp has been told Kelley’s claim is off the mark.
In a bid to clarify Kelley’s comments and seek a response to Bogut’s assertions about the club’s spending, News Corp contacted the Sixers. Requests to speak with Kelley and chief executive Nic Barbato were declined.
The NBL does not comment on salary cap and wage arrangements.
After making history as the first NBL club to defeat an NBA team, Adelaide endured a 3-6 start to the season and sacked import Craig Randall II after just six appearances. The Sixers have won their past two games to put themselves within striking distance of the top six, with coach CJ Bruton calling the arrival of NBA champion Clark the “final piece” in their pursuit of a title.
The former Golden State Warrior and Sydney King landed in Australia on Thursday and will make his Sixers debut on Christmas Eve against South East Melbourne.
Adelaide 36ers (8-8, 7th) v South East Melbourne Phoenix (12-7, 3rd)
Christmas Eve, Saturday, December 24, 5pm ACDT, 5.30pm AEDT @ Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Champs or bust: Bogut heaps pressure on big-spending 36ers
Sydney Kings part-owner Andrew Bogut says the Adelaide 36ers are the NBL’s new cash-Kings, declaring they’re buying a team that is simply ”championship or bust”.
It comes as 36ers coach CJ Bruton has hailed import signing Ian Clark the “final piece”, prompting Bogut to claim the former King would want to be a game-changer for the seventh placed 36ers.
The NBA champion believes the Sixers have spent more money on players than any other club and it really is now win the trophy or it’s a failed season in the City of Churches.
“Adelaide, geez, they are sure spending money,” Bogut said.
“I hope they do well, they’ve got a very good team on paper, but they’ve got to be the highest spenders by far.
“And that is including Perth who have to pay Bryce (Cotton) all that money because he isn’t naturalised.
“That roster to me is championship or bust and anything less than a championship with the money they are spending is going to be a disappointment in my opinion.”
Bogut points out Adelaide’s roster is loaded with top-end talent but the 36ers aren’t being accused of trying to purchase a title like the Kings were last season.
“(Mitch) McCarron is probably one of the highest paid Aussies in the league, Daniel Johnson wouldn’t be on a small salary, they’ve got Franks, Cleveland,” he said.
“We (Sydney) know Cleveland makes a lot of money because we were going after him at one point.
“They’ve got to be light years above the cap, and no one is talking about Adelaide trying to buy a championship.
“We (the Kings) copped heat last season for buying a championship and we were under the bloody cap.
“Adelaide are just finding money from God knows where. They are spending it, I’m telling you.”
Sixers owner Grant Kelley, in the latest episode of NBL documentary Unrivalled, denies the club has spent up big: “We spent roughly the same budget as prior years but what’s changed this year is we’ve recruited well.”
Clark’s arrival does turn the heat up on coach Bruton to integrate him and put the Sixers — who have won two in a row, but are still outside the top six — in finals calculations.
Bogut is confident the 31-year-old guard, who won NBA championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2017, will have an immediate impact at the 36ers like he did during Sydney’s run to the title last season.
“I think he’ll do wonders for Adelaide, and he is the perfect import for them,” he said.
“He is no-nonsense, he is a winner, and he can play the game.
“They (Adelaide) need that. It seems to be the one thing they are missing – is some more leadership and he will bring that.
“In the NBL it’s rare to have an import come in and buy in culturally and really be part of the leadership aspect of your club because imports are usually hired guns for a year, maybe two.
“I’m disappointed that we couldn’t nab him, but we have been texting and I wished him all the best.
“I said, take it easy on the Kings, but everyone else you can go and kill them.”
NBA ROYALTY LOCKED IN FOR CHRISTMAS DAY:
Everyone from Santa Clause to league boss Larry Kestelman will be at Qudos Bank Arena for Sunday’s historic Christmas Day clash, but you can also add NBA royalty to the list.
Legendary San Antonio Spurs GM RC Buford, the father of Kings coach Chase Buford, is also attending the match.
Buford helped to build a dynasty at the Spurs, steering the franchise to five NBA titles as one of the league’s most revered executives.
The two-time NBA Executive of the Year (2014,2016) is in Australia to celebrate Christmas with his family, including son Chase who will be busy coaching on December 25.
I’m told United import Rayjon Tucker will also have his mother and brother at the Christmas Day game in their first trip outside of the US.
WILL THE NBL EVENTUALLY INTRODUCE 12-MINUTE QUARTERS?
The NBL has no immediate plans to emulate the NBA and return to the 48-minute game, but influential people are supportive of the move.
A push to see the longer form of the game in Australia has again resurfaced following last Sunday’s thrilling double overtime clash between the Kings and the Phoenix.
This is incredible 🎙
— NBL (@NBL) December 18, 2022
We’re heading to DOUBLE OT!
Watch #NBL23 live and free on 10 Peach and 10play | live on Fox Sports 506 via Kayo Sports + Foxtel pic.twitter.com/vEiWosqCaG
Respected voices like league great Lanard Copeland see merit in the NBL extending the game from 40 to 48 minutes.
“I’m an advocate of 48 minutes, I understand why it can’t because of the television and all that, but that’s when guys really went at it and that’s when you’ve seen more guys scoring 40 points a game,” Copeland said after watching Mitch Creek and Derrick Walton Jr drop 46 and 45 points respectively in the one game.
“You don’t get that in the NBL a lot and I guess because of the timing, because of it being 10-minute quarters, you rarely see 40-40s or 35-35s in this league.”
The 48-minute era was replaced with the current 40-minute game in the 2009/2010 season.
Basketball Australia were in charge of the NBL at the time and made the decision to align the Australian league with FIBA’s international rules.
DJ CALLS OUT FOUL OVERLOAD:
Sydney Kings guard Dejan Vasiljevic has spoken for the majority of the league after expressing his frustration about the number of fouls called last weekend.
An astonishing 120 fouls were blown in two Sunday games between the Kings versus the Phoenix and United versus the Hawks.
Vasiljevic revealed the blowout in calls dominated discussion on the team’s flight home from Melbourne.
“I don’t think there were that many fouls in five or six games combined last season,” Vasiljevic said.
“It has to get to the point where someone in the NBL’s office who runs the officiating has to say: why are there so many fouls being called in a two-game stretch?
“We were on a flight home with the Illawarra players, and we were all chatting about it.
“It was physical, but I think some of the fouls were blown unnecessarily.
“I’m not going to pick on the officials, they are normal people, and they make mistakes, but I think there were too many fouls called and the game wasn’t allowed to be physical, and we were rewarding too many flops.”
JOE’S BACK:
It’s brilliant to see Boomers fan favourite Joe Ingles back on an NBA court after such a long-injury lay-off.
Ingles hasn’t played since January when he suffered an ACL injury, but he made a successful comeback for his new club the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday.
He didn’t score and only had two assists and one rebound in 15 minutes on the floor, but he was just grateful to be playing again.
Things you love to see: Joe Ingles back on the court dishing out assists â¤ï¸
— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) December 20, 2022
Joe played 15 minutes for the Bucks in his return game after tearing his ACL. pic.twitter.com/K0gfZRfB91
Ingles still managed to create history, becoming the first 35-year-old Australian to play in the NBA.
He also produced a highlight play when he lobbed a pass to Milwaukee star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who finished it off with a layup.
BAYNES NOT USED RIGHT AT BULLETS: ANSTEY
One of the NBL’s finest big men Chris Anstey believes the Brisbane Bullets aren’t effectively using marquee signing Aron Baynes to fulfil his proven NBA championship-winning ability.
“I feel like he is wasted on the elbow and at the three-point line,” Anstey said on the Basketball Show about Baynes, who has averaged 11.42 points and 8.25 rebounds in his return from a serious spinal cord injury suffered at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
“He is the most physical big in the league and he doesn’t often touch it by the basket.”
Anstey also nailed his assessment about the league’s big men on this week’s Basketball Show.
He wants to see more specialised bigs coaches like Luc Longley at the Sydney Kings used across the league.
“There are no big coaches, and I don’t think they are being taught right,” said Anstey, a two-time NBL MVP and a three-time champion.
“There are a lot of things I see where the emphasis is on the guards and the back-court and the bigs are being used to screen and facilitate, but they don’t really know how.
“Very few teams who have specialised bigs coaches and I’d love to see some teams take a chance and bring someone in to work with their bigs on their footwork, their craft, contested finishing around the rim and some of the choices they make.”
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