Blanchfield to Run It Back With Former Side?

After parting ways with the Perth Wildcats, NBL veteran and former All-NBL second team selection Todd Blanchfield is officially a free agent heading into NBL24.

Blanchfield, who could chalk up his 400^th game in the competition next season, has departed the Wildcats after 90 appearances and after averaging 4.6 points per game in NBL23 – his lowest marker since the 2010-11 season with the Townsville Crocodiles.

But there's no doubting his talent. The 31-year-old would all valuable experience to any roster. 

Speaking on The Marketplace, ESPN Insider Olgun Uluc says there’s a strong possibility Blanchfield could return to one of his former sides.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Thank you, Todd. ??<br><br>The Perth Wildcats would like to thank NBL veteran Todd Blanchfield for his contributions during his time at the club. We wish Toddy all the best for the future.<br><br>Full details: <a href="https://t.co/pgEpeSLgk1">https://t.co/pgEpeSLgk1</a> <a href="https://t.co/55Z3f3v59M">pic.twitter.com/55Z3f3v59M</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1646725468287307777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

“I look at the Illawarra Hawks, the Sydney Kings, the South East Melbourne Phoenix – these are teams that missed out on Bul Kuol, and Blanchfield is one of those proven wing shooters they can go after,” Uluc said.

“This is why I called Bul Kuol one of the more intriguing, and maybe the most important free agency signing.

“The teams that missed out on Kuol, they clearly had a need for a wing that can shoot it.”

Should Blanchfield link up with the Phoenix next season, it would act as a reunion between himself and former Perth assistant coach Mike Kelly.

Kelly accepted the top job at the Phoenix following the culmination of the NBL23 season and the resignation of the side’s inaugural head coach Simon Mitchell.

Blanchfield represented the Hawks for two seasons before joining the Wildcats, while he played for the Kings in the 2017-18 season.

The Wildcats announced they'd deactivated deals for both Blanchfield and fellow veteran Mitch Norton on Friday in somewhat of a changing of the guard for the club, as Keanu Pinder and David Okwera arrive via Free Agency.