Ingles, Waardenburg, Travers: United's off-season haul continues

Melbourne United's star-studded roster continues to build, with Luke Travers the latest talent to commit to the club.

Travers will return to Melbourne on a two-year deal following two seasons in the NBA with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The 24-year-old played 24 NBA games and 36 G League games during his time in the US, averaging an impressive 17 points, 9.6 rebounds, 6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocks per game with the Cleveland Charge.

Travers' talents are well known to United fans. He played with the club during the Hungry Jack's NBL24 Season, following four seasons with the Perth Wildcats.

Melbourne Head Coach Jacob Chance said Travers was a big addition for the club.

"Whether it was an import or a marquee local, we wanted to bring in a utility perimeter player who can play as a guard or on the wing that had some versatility to their game, and Luke fits that spot tremendously," Chance explained.

"He can play, essentially, all five positions. He's different, he's dynamic, he's a big athlete, and I think he's going to really help us at both ends.

"He's always been a tremendously high IQ, team player. He has great feel, and that's something that's been present since I knew him as a 14, 15-year-old kid.

"When you look at his time in Cleveland, he spent time at multiple positions. Carrying the ball a lot, playing as a rolling big, handling in the pick and roll, and then defensively, I think that's where he's really grown the most, having to deal with the athleticism in the G League.

"I think he sees this as an opportunity to come back and contend for Championships, while still being able to showcase his skill coming into the prime of his career."

Travers joins Joe Ingles and Sam Waardenburg as high-profile signings for the club in the off-season, as United undergoes a period of transition following the departure of coach Dean Vickerman.

"We want to be a place where high level, blue chip, Australian and New Zealand players want to play and be a part of our program," Chance continued. "We've obviously got a lot of them in the squad already and Luke just adds to that.

"LT is someone I've had a relationship with for a long time. His ambition is to get back to the NBA, and he's put his trust in us as a program to come back and give himself another opportunity to do that across these next two years, or to be a part of a successful United program beyond that.

"I see this next few years as really critical for him, and you're just excited about what he's going to bring from a versatility and flexibility standpoint."

Travers joins a roster featuring Kyle Bowen, Chris Goulding, Shea Ili, Joe Ingles, Fabijan Krslovic, Sean Macdonald (NRP), Malith Machar and Sam Waardenburg, as well as Development Players Jensen Bradtke and Christian D'Angelo.