Kings' final import plan takes surprise twist

Fresh off their championship-winning run, the Sydney Kings are keeping their superstar core together as they chase back-to-back titles.

With attention now turning to their final import spot, ESPN’s Olgun Uluc believes it may not be the position many are expecting.

“I’m not quite sure they’re looking for a center,” he said on NBL Marketplace, presented by Paywise.

“I think when we look at the ins and outs from last season’s championship team, to what they’re doing this off-season … we knew Tim Soares wasn’t going to be returning.”

Soares, who played a crucial role in the Kings' title-winning campaign, has since signed in Japan’s B League, leaving a void many expected Sydney to fill with another traditional center.

“Our mind immediately goes to a replacement for Tim Soares, but one of the names I was told most recently in the last week … was like a 4-3 type,” Uluc said.

“I think there’s some confidence that Xavier Cooks can play up to the five. Keli Leaupepe’s return allows him to eat some minutes at the five and then they are still in the Harry Wessels sweepstakes, who is with the Spurs during Summer League.

“So, while we think that they’d get a replacement for Tim Soares, because that worked, I was told the 4-3 was someone who they showed a lot of interest most recently.”

With Championship Series MVP Kendric Davis re-signing, alongside Torrey Craig, the Kings already have two proven import pieces locked in.

“They have kind of an open book to how they want to attack that with their versatility,” Pete Hooley said.

“This is why getting those guys who can be dominant in multiple positions, it just helps your shopping list this late in the off-season.”

While Cooks and Craig can both spend time in similar positions, their contrasting skillsets and versatility give Sydney plenty of flexibility when it comes to filling its final import spot.

Uluc went on to say that regardless of who the Kings sign next, replacing the impact Soares had alongside the team's stars will be no easy task.

“I want to make sure that we don’t understate how important Tim Soares was and how difficult it is to replace that specific skillset with the guys on this roster like Kendric Davis and Xavier Cooks,” he said.

“He was the perfect big there. Replacing that even on the aggregate, trying to replace all of those minutes and impact is going to be very difficult.

“It’s going to be a tough task for James Newman (GM Basketball Operations) and for Brian Goorjian and this is going to be a really interesting pickup.”