Cotton, Pinder ... McDowell-White? Big Three Looms

They’ve already landed the signature of one of the NBL’s biggest stars, but could the Perth Wildcats be set for another huge move?

Bryce Cotton and now Keanu Pinder are already locked in, and ESPN Insider Olgun Uluc believes Will McDowell-White is the next target. 

“I am told that William McDowell-White is priority number one,” Uluc told The Marketplace. 

“The Perth Wildcats I flagged a few weeks ago that they might be a sleeper for McDowell-White.

“There’s a sense that Bryce Cotton wants to play alongside him, and now with Keanu Pinder there, you wonder if you can create this ‘big three’.

“I think this makes Perth a more realistic landing spot for McDowell-White, and it’s the number one priority for Perth going forward.”

While Uluc believes the New Zealand Breakers are still in the “driver’s seat” to retain arguably their most important player, other teams are looming large. 

“Sydney remains in the conversation. The Tasmania JackJumpers remain in the conversation,” Uluc said.

McDowell-White averaged 10.5 points and 5.1 rebounds across the regular season for the Breakers, and stepped things up further when it mattered most, across the NBL Finals Series. 

He scored 19 points in Games 1 and 4 of the Championship Series. 

Uluc said the Wildcats were also in the mix for a pair of Melbourne United big men. 

“There’s a sense they want to lock in some more of the ancillary players; we spoke about David Okwera as someone who they’re in negotiations with. Another player they are in negotiations with is Mason Peatling,” he added. 

“As a team that struggled rebounding and struggled defensively, those are two names that would shore up that front line really well.”