Has the center merry-go-round begun?

South East Melbourne and former Brisbane center Gorjok Gak has been reported as heading to the Tasmania JackJumpers for NBL25 by ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, in what could spell the end of import center Marcus Lee’s tenure at the club.

Gak arrived at the Phoenix from the Bullets ahead of NBL24 in what was a highly touted acquisition, but he only played 17 of the Phoenix’s 28 games for the season as he battled with injury.

The JackJumpers will be Gak’s third team in three NBL seasons, but Uluc believes the signing gives an added dimension to Tasmania’s centre rotation.

“He had his injury woes and that’s something that teams are aware of and hinders his value to an extent, but this probably means the JackJumpers will be moving on from Marcus Lee – that was the expectation as well,” Uluc said on The Marketplace.

“Right now, at that five spot it’s Magnay, Krslovic, Gak, and I think what they see is you have Magnay, you know what he is and he’s part of that 22-man Boomers squad and I think he’s a real chance to make the team ... then with those two backup spots you have two different sorts of players.

“You have Krslovic who is more on the floor, he’s very solid, he plays upright and can stretch it a little bit, and then you have Gak who is a little bit more wiry, can fly, he’s a different sort of player – a similar sort of player as Marcus Lee.”

Derek Rucker and Peter Hooley believe while Lee will now likely depart the JackJumpers, there is a place for him in the NBL – and potentially at his former club.

“That might be the biggest surprise signing yet, and one that really benefits – you talk about going somewhere great after coming from a miserable existence,” Rucker said of Gak’s signing to Tasmania.

“I thought in [Lee’s] time at Melbourne United he was underappreciated by the general public, and I think a similar thing has happened in Tasmania. I thought that guy gave great value, he was really good in the championship series, and it’s a shame if he won’t be in the league.

“There’s certainly a place for him in another team.”

“There’s a good chance that happens and Melbourne United is preparing that it might be the case … I wouldn’t be surprised if he ends up back in a United jersey,” Hooley added.