REPORT: Rival clubs circle Bullets star

Photo: Brisbane Bullets.

Every team in the Hungry Jack’s NBL would love to have a pass-first point guard who makes others around them better.

The Brisbane Bullets currently have two, albeit Lithuanian star Arnas Velicka is injured.

But three-time Olympian Raul Neto is fit, firing and quickly finding his feet in the League, highlighted by his crucial 11 points in the Bullets’ win over Illawarra.

With 464 NBA games to his name, you’d expect his form to continue to grow as the Brazilian becomes more acclimatised.

The thing is, though, Velicka is slated to return as early as Round 11, which poses the question: what happens to Nominated Replacement Player Neto?

According to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, multiple teams have inquired about Neto’s future plans.

“There are two teams who have already asked me, hey, what’s he [Neto] doing when [Velicka] comes back?” Uluc said on the ESPN Aussie Hoops Hour.

“[Velicka] is out with this quad injury, supposed to have him out until right around the FIBA break, towards the end of November. At that point, theoretically, [Neto] is this injury replacement who then has no one to replace.

“There are teams ready to pursue him when he presumably becomes available. Both of these teams who asked me, I’m very fascinated by the concept of adding [Neto] to those teams.

“Let’s appreciate him as a Brisbane Bullet, but I’m keeping a close eye on it, ’cause the other thing is he’s already here. The rigmarole of having to fly a guy in and convince [him], that’s out the window. It effectively just becomes a money thing.”

Part of the reason Neto signed a short-term deal with Will Weaver’s side was to prepare him for November’s FIBA World Cup Qualifiers with Brazil.

But with Brazil on the verge of booking their spot at the 2027 tournament in Qatar, 2020 NBL Sixth Man of the Year Jason Cadee explained Neto might want to extend his stay to keep himself in shape for the World Cup.

“If he’s taken this job, it means he’s just open to playing anywhere. For someone like him, that might just be like, you know what, I’m here now. I’m enjoying it. I may as well stay and finish the season somewhere,” Cadee said.

“There are some teams that if you slide him into it, it makes them instantly better, especially some of the teams that already have scoring; they just now have someone to orchestrate it all.”

The Bullets host Cairns on Thursday night from 8pm AEDT, live on ESPN.