Gaze: Adelaide faces depth test

Photo via Adelaide 36ers

Following the departures of Robert Franks and Antonius Cleveland, the Adelaide 36ers have found their new import trio.

Jacob Wiley has returned to the club for a second stint, while former South East Melbourne guard Trey Kell and Chinese Basketball Association mainstay Jamaal Franklin have been added to the side’s roster for the new season.

There’s still one major question on everyone’s lips though. How do they stack up in the frontcourt?

Wiley played well enough during his last stint at the club to earn a big-money move to Europe, and another returning star, Isaac Humphries has already showcased his ability to be the league’s top rim protector when fit. Vut NBL great Andrew Gaze is not convinced of the side’s depth options.

“How confident are you that Isaac Humphries is going to be able to hold up?” Gaze said on The Marketplace Round Table. “His history with injuries is not great, so that’s going to be a big one.

“If you take him out of it, then how do you look at the five spot? Think of some of the players you have to play against.

“Jacob can help out and bang – he’s a terrific athlete – but you’re going to need more. You’re going to need depth in that department.”

NBL analyst Liam Santamaria suggested there is potential for the pair to not line up alongside each other come Round 1.

“I reckon when push comes to shove and we get to opening night, Jacob Wiley is the starter at the five.

“I reckon Isaac Humphries is coming off the bench.”

While Wiley’s return was announced before the announcement of Franks’ departure from the club, it was clear that he had been brought in as a positionally like-for-like replacement for the former Brisbane Bullet.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Wiley back in Sixers threads ? <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeAreSixers?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeAreSixers</a> <a href="https://t.co/FY4Ak0kdTn">pic.twitter.com/FY4Ak0kdTn</a></p>&mdash; Adelaide 36ers (@Adelaide36ers) <a href="https://twitter.com/Adelaide36ers/status/1686981804593668096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Franks has since signed for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the Japanese B. League, to bring an end to an interesting two-season stint in the NBL.

While the 26-year-old’s abilities saw him in contention for an All-NBL place during his sole season with Brisbane, former South East Melbourne head coach Simon Mitchell believes Adelaide is in a better position with Franks not around.

“Robert Franks was a very talented player but him leaving the club, I think, is going to be a good thing for Adelaide,” Mitchell said.

“What I do like is some of the mentality they’ve brought in. Jacob Wiley is going to play with energy, he’s going to play with venom, he’s going to bring his teammates and crowd into the game. I’m not sure they had that last year at that position.

“Jacob Wiley wouldn’t be my personal replacement from a skillset standpoint, from a cultural standpoint he’s a grade-A guy, he’s got great energy about him, he’s got a tremendous story as to how he became a professional.

“I think he’s going to be a real locker room leader for them.”

Adelaide’s NBL24 campaign will kick off against the Brisbane Bullets on Friday, September 29.