NBL legends debate Adelaide, Vasiljevic fit

The Adelaide 36ers are reportedly in talks to replace departed import Jamaal Franklin with former Sydney sharpshooter DJ Vasiljevic, and while fourth all-time NBL leading scorer Lanard Copeland has praised the potential fit of the title-winning King in the league’s current bottom side, former champion Damon Lowery believes the 36ers should look elsewhere.

ESPN’s Olgun Uluc has reported the potential signing of Vasiljevic would come at the expense of bringing in a third import, which would leave Trey Kell and Jacob Wiley as the side’s two rostered imports for the season.

Copeland says the fact Vasiljevic is a known quantity in the NBL means he can help Adelaide win immediately.

“DJ Vasiljevic is a flat-out scorer,” Copeland said on NBL Overtime. “Not everyone’s as high on him, but I know if you put the ball in his hands, he’s going to be the best scorer on that team. I think he fits quite well.

“They have a host of guards like Mitch McCarron, Jason Cadee, Sunday Dech, all who can play and score but they don’t have a scorers mentality, he has a scorer's mentality.

“If you watched him when he played with the Sydney Kings he was surrounded by superstars, so when he did get the ball, he was going to shoot it and knock it down, and when he hits that first he’s going to take that second and he’s capable of scoring 30 points on this team.”

It’s that host of guard the 36ers currently have on the roster – which also includes Next Star Trentyn Flowers and emerging talent Nick Marshall – that makes Lowery believe Adelaide should not be rushing to sign the two-time title-winning Sydney King.

“Bad fit, they’ve got enough guards … how many do you need? That’s not the issue,” Lowery said on NBL Now.

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“In saying that it would be awesome to have DJ back in the league, he’s a championship player, he’s a sniper, a walking flamethrower, but it’s not a good fit for Adelaide.

“Let’s say you’re not bringing in another import and if you add DJ to the mix and make it a long-term deal, not just a one-year, half-a-year thing, you could always do worse than DJ – but that’s not the answer to Adelaide’s problems.”

Lowery also questioned the speed of Adelaide’s process, following the almost immediate signing of Anthony Lamb to the Breakers due to an injury to Justinian Jessup.

“Adelaide always seem t put themselves in talking situations, then all of a sudden you get a team like New Zealand who can quickly get an import replacement, and here’s Adelaide in Round 3 – five games played – and it’s still up in the air.

“I don’t know what’s going on over there.”

Adelaide will play just once in Round 3, when they host Illawarra on Saturday night.