Taipans, 36ers reportedly 'trade' bigs

The Adelaide 36ers and Cairns Taipans have, for all intents and purposes, traded a pair of sharpshooting bigs according to ESPN’s Olgun Uluc, who has reported Lat Mayen will return to his hometown Adelaide 36ers while Kyrin Galloway will head north to join the Taipans.

The 36ers’ ability to attract hometown talent back to Adelaide has long been disputed within NBL circles, but Adelaide-born Peter Hooley says it’s time for fans to enjoy the fact the club has brought in a high-quality local talent.

“For so long the 36ers have missed out on local talent … this goes back to Brad Newley, but now you actually have a local kid to get excited about who wants a fresh start and a new opportunity,” Hooley said on The Marketplace.

“[Mayen] was in a logjam and now he gets in there, I think he’s going to be enormous. He shot 40 per cent from three and that actually dropped, he was shooting 45 per cent from three for the majority of the season.

“I really hope the Adelaide fans enjoy this signing because they’ve needed to see some local talent come home, and they finally get one.”

Galloway has reportedly agreed to a two-year deal with the Taipans, and Hooley believes the sharpshooting big could place himself in contention for an NBL award under Adam Forde.

“If you had to pick what Adam Forde likes and thrives with coaching-wise, everyone’s picking Kyrin Galloway,” Hooley said.

“This is a match made in heaven for Kyrin Galloway and Adam Forde … Kyrin Galloway will win Most Improved Player. The more I heard the rumours with the way Fordey plays, how much Fordey loves him and the chance he’s going to get, we saw him get a bit of a chance and play with confidence, I think he’s going to get even better with Fordey.

“I think he’s going to be in the top three for Most Improved Player.”