Melbourne Looming as Travers' Top Landing Spot?

Former NBL champion and Melbourne United guard Peter Hooley believes one of the legaue's two Melbourne-based clubs can provide the best development opportunities to out of contract Perth star Luke Travers.

It has already been announced Travers will not be renewing his contract with Perth, and is looking for a new home that can provide him with greater responsibility as he strives to fulfil his NBA potential.

Hooley says Travers is at a crucial stage in his career in terms of taking the next step forward realise the need to make the next step forward.  

He believes both his own former coach - Dean Vickerman - and newly named South East Melbourne head coach, Mike Kelly, can both put forward strong cases to have Travers' best interests at heart.

“Opportunity but further growth, Mike Kelly was just there with him. He’s so versatile in what he can do,” Hooley said on the latest episode of NBL Overtime.

“So I’m not surprised that the two Melbourne teams are leading the charge.

“The timing of him leaving at his age after what he’s been through, I think it’s perfect. You don’t want to wait a couple of years and say I wish I left a little bit earlier.

“I’m just trying to think as someone who played under Dean Vickerman and you look at what Jack White could do, the way they do their defensive structure and the way they play. You see him really fitting into that Dean Vickerman style and continuing to grow his game and being able to be that versatile player.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Luke Travers has revealed why he made the &#39;selfish&#39; decision to leave the Perth Wildcats.<a href="https://t.co/9ij8XXbpqj">https://t.co/9ij8XXbpqj</a></p>&mdash; The West Australian (@westaustralian) <a href="https://twitter.com/westaustralian/status/1642383178236084225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“Play at the four, play the backup point guard if we need you to handle the rock as well, and be that focal point for them.

“The timing of him leaving at his age after what he’s been through, I think it’s perfect. You don’t want to wait a couple of years and say I wish I left a little bit earlier.”

NBL Free Agency kicked off on March 30, and a number of key off-season moves have already been announced.

 Stay up to date on all player movement through the NBL’s Free agency Hub and the NBL YouTube channel.