NBL 24: NZ Breakers roster changes make them an unknown quantity
An ultra-talented crop of new imports has optimism high in New Zealand but a return to the NBL grand final for the Breakers might just hinge on a former Charlotte Hornet.
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Mody Magic swept through Spark Arena last NBL season as the New Zealand Breakers fell one win short of shocking the world.
Forced to watch the Sydney Kings lift the Dr John Raschke Trophy after a heartbreaking 3-2 grand final series defeat, coach Mody Maor has rebuilt his roster around the elite talents of point guard William McDowell-White.
Can the new group find the chemistry to recapture the form of NBL23?
Shannon Gill looks at the Breakers’ prospects.
Club: New Zealand Breakers
Last season: 2nd, 18-10 record
Coach: Mody Maor, 37 games (22-15)
Full roster: Tom Abercrombie, Finn Delany, William McDowell-White, Cam Gliddon, Dane Pineau, Dan Fotu, Izayah Le’afa, Mangok Mathiang, Parker Jackson-Cartwright, Zylan Cheatham, Justinian Jessup, Mantas Rubstavicius, Alex McNaught, Carlin Davison, Max Darling
Bench punch
Finn Delany: Finn Diesel left the NBL as one of its premier big men and, with the Breakers depth, they could end up bringing him off the bench. What a luxury for Maor to be able to rotate between the versatile Kiwi forward and Cheatham. A beast down low and a good shooter who adds another dimension to the Breakers’ attack.
Justinian Jessup: A former Golden State Warriors draft pick who played with Illawarra Hawks as a Next Star two seasons ago, Jessup has always been a truly elite shooter but returns to the league with the expectation from Mody Maor and the Breakers he can expand his game in other facets.
Cam Gliddon: Gliddon looked rejuvenated at the NBL Blitz, bringing back memories of the long range marksman who produced multiple 12-plus point average seasons with Cairns and Brisbane. Hardly played last season and only managed 3.8 points per game so a bounce back campaign from the 34-year-old would be massive for the Breakers.
Coach’s corner
“There are no direct swaps in building teams, each team is different and there are many different components to this season’s team to last season. The one thing that is the same from last year will be our focus on defence”
—Mody Maor
What’s changed since last year?
For a team that made the NBL Grand Final series last season, there has been significant turnover in the roster. Just five Breakers remain from the team that surprised the league by returning the club to the pointy end of the NBL. All three imports have gone, but that has been offset by the excitement around Parker Jackson-Cartwright.
His combination with the ultra-athletic Zylan Cheatham during the NBL Blitz has optimism high that the Breakers won’t lose too much, despite the new personnel. Cheatham’s posterising dunk against the 36ers gave glimpses of the highlight reel he could compile this season. Elsewhere, the Breakers have been strengthened by the return of local hard man Finn Delany. Delany has been a past star for NZ and returns with a league title from his time in Germany.
Zylan Cheatham with the insane poster DUNK 😱
— NBL (@NBL) September 17, 2023
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The hot seat: Mangok Mathiang
The combative centre has NBA experience and the tools to be an NBL force, but, after a horror leg break left him on the sidelines for two years, he struggled to impact in his return stint with Illawarra Hawks. Played in Israel after an early finish with the Hawks, putting up big statistical numbers, but the heat will be on to provide similar impact at both ends of the floor to departed All-NBL second team big man Dererk Pardon. If he can fill that void, he could be the key to the Breakers’ chances of going one better than the grand final appearance of NBL23.
The big question
Can Mody Maor prove that his first season as Breakers head coach was no fluke and lead them to another deep finals run?
The Breakers surprised the NBL last season with much of the plaudits heading Maor’s way. His ability to remould a changed roster and back up last season’s success will be a huge test of his coaching mettle. Ensuring his new imports gel quickly in his system will be a big factor in team success, with the presence of dependable veterans like Tom Abercrombie and Cam Gliddon an important key to that unity.
Expert comment
Former Breaker and Sky Sports NZ analyst Casey Frank believes Maor’s revamped squad must replicate the defensive identity it was able to create in NBL23 if it is to be successful.
“You look at the team this year and the guys that have switched out in the import sports, it‘s going to be a smaller, quicker team. I don‘t know whether it’s going to be as formidable physically, but the thought process from the Breakers is can they use that quickness to be as effective? It was a very stout, physical defence, last season, especially in the half court. We saw something new in the pre-season, though, with Parker Jackson-Cartwright really pestering the 36ers in that full court defence to a higher level than they were capable of last year. I’m interested to see where Willie McDowell-White fits in and who comes off the bench.
“I think they’ll be in the mix of teams looking for a top-four spot, but I have a few question marks on not having seen this new roster together, yet.”
Prediction:
Mick Randall says: With so much roster turnover, you immediately think the Breakers will take a step back — and that still might be the case. But, when you cast your eye over the personnel Mody Maor has to work with — potentially bringing Justinian Jessup and Finn Delany off the bench — for me, it’s a case of write the NBL23 grand finalists off at your own peril. Mody was the rightful Coach of the Year, in my opinion, not just for how he returned the Breakers to the peak of the NBL but for how he was the central figure in healing a hurting club and fanbase that had bore the brunt of the brutal pandemic restrictions. The Breakers are good. Really good. Emulating — or exceeding — last year’s magic might just come down to whether Mangok Mathiang can take his game to the level of the truly-elite NBL big.
Matt Logue says: They have made a few changes to the roster, but while Mody Maor is coach, the New Zealanders remain contenders. Maor has proven himself to be a world-class coach, especially on the defensive end, which will be the Breakers identity again this season. I’m tipping gun guard Will McDowell-White will take his game to another level in NBL24 - and that will give the men from NZ a chance to be there when it matters in March.
NBL Award Contenders:
MVP: William McDowell-White
Defensive Player of the Year: Mangok Mathiang
Most Improved Player: Mangok Mathiang
Sixth Man of the Year: Justinian Jessup, Finn Delany
CODE BET
Title odds: $7 (via bet365)
Last season’s Grand Finalists and the clear best defence in the league, NZ were a little off in the Blitz going 1-2, but trying new things and players can do that in preseason.
Fresh off a European season, New Zealand point guard Parker Jackson-Cartwright looks to be an amazing pickup with multiple 15+ points and 8+ assist games on the Gold Coast. The hyphenator can lift this side from point guard and work perfectly with the sharpshooting of Cam Gliddon from three.
The Breakers look extremely versatile on offence, but are lacking size and chemistry on defence. The passion of Mody Maor will grow on this side though and New Zealand will be a real threat again this season.
Best bet: To Make Top 4 - Yes ($1.72)
—Liam McAllion
SuperCoach:
It’s buyer beware to start the season with any Breakers player as they have an ugly schedule for SuperCoach purposes, with the trip to the US for NBLxNBA games leaving them with just three games across the first four rounds. For comparison, Adelaide, Melbourne and South East Melbourne each play seven in the same period. You never want to see anyone injured but, if William McDowell-White (G, $326,700) does miss at least one of those first three games, he could end up being a must-have from round five-on, given the Breakers schedule packs in four doubles in the next five rounds. Cam Gliddon (G, $104,000) might end up being a steal if he can keep up his pre-season form and imports Zylan Cheatham (F, $277,000) and Parker Jackson-Cartwright (G, $277,000) could also come into consideration.
Key Stats You Need To Know:
New Zealand has lost each of its last six season openers.
William McDowell-White had an impact of +125.2 last season, 2nd in the league behind departed former teammate Jarrell Brantley. (Impact combines player’s Plus Minus as well as the team’s expected points scored and allowed while the player is on the court to show what impact the player has had for the team compared to expectation)
The Breakers conceded just 7.6 three-pointers per game last season, lowest in the league
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