Fab five: All eyes on the same prize

10 Jul 2026

Five NBL teams are searching for the same missing piece as the race to complete NBL27 rosters intensifies.

By

NBL.com.au

The 2026 NBA Summer League has tipped off in Las Vegas, which means the majority of NBL teams have sent representatives across to search for the remaining pieces of their roster.

Some of the vacancies left to fill could prove the difference in a team's title chances in NBL27, but what makes this year's search even more intriguing is that several clubs are chasing the same position.

Five NBL teams are looking to land an import point guard to lead their roster for the upcoming season, and as ESPN’s Olgun Uluc alluded to on the most recent Marketplace episode, it's arguably the most important position on the floor.

The Phoenix are one of those teams searching for a dynamic playmaker, with Josh King on the ground in Las Vegas looking to find the perfect fit.

“I think the (South East Melbourne) Phoenix saw this most recent Championship Series and what Bryce Cotton did to them in the semi-finals, they’ve realised that having one of those small dynamic electric point guards is the way to go,” he said.

The Perth Wildcats have been under the microscope all off-season with their vacant point guard position, with many believing it will be the key decision in determining how far they can go this season.

While they reportedly held initial conversations with Patty Mills, Uluc reported the latest update on their search is reigning G League assists leader Darius Brown.

“That is someone (Brown) who I know the Wildcats are quite interested in,” he said.

“I was told that they had put an offer toward him the last week or two.”

Melbourne United, the Cairns Taipans and the Illawarra Hawks are the other three teams in the market for a floor general.

The point guard sweepstakes could be more important this season than ever before, with the likes of Bryce Cotton, Milton Doyle and Parker Jackson-Cartwright already locked in to return to their respective teams.

With Tasmania bringing home Taran Armstrong and Brisbane signing European star Arnus Velicka, the rest of the NBL is officially on the clock.