Sydney Kings chasing big men for NBL
Apr 28, 2017 - 5:41 AM Andrew Gaze is prioritising big men for the Sydney Kings' import positions, after losing or releasing most of last season's NBL contingent - including injury-hit Julian Khazzouh.The other big man departures include former NBA player Josh Powell and ex-Fremantle Dockers AFL player Craig Moller, who has signed for Melbourne United.
Boomers centre Aleks Maric has been offered a new deal by Sydney, but is exploring other options and is presently playing in Spain.
Gaze said Sydney had been interested in re-signing poer forward Khazzouh, who missed the last season and a half with a quadriceps tendon problem.
Khazzouh is believed to be overseas but Gaze hoped the 31-year-old former Sydney captain might one day have a third stint with the Kings.
"It's not like there was this split where there's some sort of angst or tension, we respect the fact that he was looking to do other things," Gaze said.
Sydney have signed swingman Todd Blanchfield from Melbourne United and power forward Dane Pineau, who played for St Mary's College in California - which produced Australian NBA players Patty Mills and Matthew Dellavedova.
Gaze is looking for another ball handler but his main import targets are a power forward and centre, especially with rebounding being a major weakness last season
"We've got some really good candidates,."Gaze said.
"It's still relatively early, the season hasn't finished for a lot of players in Europe.
"Some of the players we've been speaking to are really keen and excited and some of them we've put on hold, some of them have put us on hold."
Despite the player departures, Sydney still possess a strong nucleus of Australia talent in Kevin Lisch, Brad Newley, Jason Cadee and Tom Garlepp.
The Kings missed out on the finals in their first season under Gaze, despite being the early pacesetters.
"There's always pressure and we have a goal not just to play finals, but to win a title," Gaze said.
"I am confident that we will put together a team that has the capacity to contend for a title."
Source: AAP
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