NBL champion backs mid-season trades

Two-time NBL champion Chris Anstey has called for the NBL to introduce its own version of a mid-season trade period.

"I'm a fan of them [the NBL] having genuine discussions about it [mid-season trade] now, to see what it might look like," Anstey said on Thursday's episode of NBL Now.

"The step would be to introduce it where it has to be agreed upon by both parties. There would have to be some level of financial benefit for the player and not penalise clubs who have spent up to their cap, probably give them some sort of a trade budget to allow them to do that now.

"The strong will get stronger and they'll pick the talent out of the lower-rated teams. It'd be exciting and it creates storylines.

"The Brisbane Bullets, let's say that the trade period was here now, wouldn't it be an incredible opportunity [for them to add talent from around the league]?

"I just think it's a step that the NBL will eventually take, whether it's now or a year or two down the track. I sit on the side of I'd really like to see it happen eventually, but when the time's right and it's right for everyone."

Fellow NBL champion Mark Worthingon echoed Anstey's thoughts, saying it could be exciting for the league.

On a recent NBL Now, the two-time Olympian even discussed the idea of trading two Australian Boomers from their current team to another NBL outfit.

"A team would love to have someone of his [Dejan Vasiljevic] shooting ability on their team and be able to get more minutes than what he's currently getting in the Adelaide system," Worthington said on NBL Now.

"So that would make sense to me if DJ said, I want to play right now. I want to get buckets.

"Then imagine if Jonah Bolden went back to the Sydney Kings with all the injuries that they've had with their bigs ... and put him under a Brian Goorjian.

"Another player with length and size at the rim that would really help bolster their defensive stocks."