With the Illawarra Hawks floundering near the bottom of the National Basketball League (NBL) table, the league itself has reportedly begun putting pressure on the Hawks. In a report from the Illawarra Mercury on Wednesday, the NBL is said to be pressuring the team to add another import player to lessen the workload on star LaMelo Ball.
The NBL has heaped pressure on the Illawarra Hawks to sign a new import, to ease the workload on potential NBA No.1 draft pick LaMelo Ball.
The Hawks have stalled on a replacement for NBA veteran Aaron Brooks for more than five weeks, amid speculation about the Hawks business structure and whether owner Simon Stratford will remain at the club.
It is understood the NBL is monitoring the situation.
In the immediate aftermath of Aaron Brooks’ injury, the Hawks released a behind-the-scenes video that showcased some of the potential targets the team was focusing on, highlighted by current G League players Jerian Grant and Tyler Ulis. However, after that initial video, the team has hardly been linked to another player.
The league’s interest in the matter runs deeper than it may appear on the surface. As noted in the piece, Ball’s Next Stars contract is paid by the league, giving them a financial incentive to get involved in the matter.
However, there are concerns about the 18-year-old’s workloads and time on court, leading the NBL – who pay his contract through the Next Stars program – to open discussions with the Hawks about fast-tracking a signing to bolster the squad.
A host of names specific to the NBL were mentioned in the piece as potential signings, though none of them moved the needle for non-NBL fans like the aforementioned names might. However, considering every league has already begun, signing a player that would be a big name is likely out of the equation.
Ball’s minutes have steadily increased in recent weeks since Brooks’ injury, including a season-high 40 minutes in an overtime win over Cairns.
