No knee-jerk reaction: Replacement talk on Ice as 36ers hold fire

Trevor Gleeson isn't ready to talk replacements just yet.

The Adelaide 36ers coach says the club will take its time on Isaac Humphries' knee, and the player's health will come before any roster decision.

The injury is reportedly more serious than first feared. Humphries is set to get a second opinion in Melbourne, and season-ending surgery is among the options being considered, according to 9 News Adelaide's Will Crouch and Fox Sports' Jai Shadlow.

Reports this week also said the 36ers had started looking at possible replacements, both short- and long-term. Gleeson, though, wants all the information in hand before the club makes its next move.

"I think that's probably putting the cart before the horse," Gleeson said. "Let's just wind it back and find out exactly where we are, what it requires, and then we'll make the next step as we go along."

Gleeson said the knee wasn't a new problem for Humphries, and the club would be thorough in its evaluation.

"Obviously Isaac's a valuable part of our team and we want to get all the information before we go to the next step," he said.

"The good thing is Isaac's dealt with this for his career. It's not something that's just happened. It's an ongoing issue. So we'll get all the facts and get second opinions and then we'll make that decision."

Humphries is yet to feature in NBL27, after being a key part of the 36ers' run to the Championship Series last season.

He averaged 12.6 points, 5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in NBL26 and is in the final year of his three-year deal.

Gleeson said his absence was felt as much off the court as on it.

"He's a great leader, too, and that's the down part," Gleeson said. "He's still involved, obviously, just not on court, but our guys have stepped up in his absence, and hopefully that'll continue."

The 36ers head to Wollongong to face Illawarra at the WIN Entertainment Centre on Friday night, with tip-off at 7.30pm AEST, live on ESPN.