Lets revisit this mid-season and see if the right mix of people was the right mix of people

I agree the danger with statements like this by Weston and Trez the other day is the expectation there won't be locker room issues this season because KD is gone. Cotton will likely be a stabilising voice but I don't trust Trez or Humphries not to create drama.

Trez to me has KD issues x10. The popcorn is already cooking in the pot for "The Trez Show Season 2 Episode 1"!

Change the culture at the same time as spending a record amount of money. They are not the same thing and culutre problems existed before KD arrived. So far, Adelaid have only proved they can spend money. Although, Weston does deserve credit for his achievments either way.

It all depends on the whole club from top to bottom being complicit in culture problems, staring this in the face, taking accountabilty for this, and then driving change. But if Adelaide think or won't accept that their issues ran/run deeper than a single season from KD (who they supposedly wanted back) then they risk repeating the same mistakes.

Master Chief, that's true there have been culture problems at the club for years and really that started with the Mitch Creek situation in 2018.

Which led to Joey not wanting to be there anymore, the hiring of Conner Henry and firing him on the verge of the start of his second season because he wouldn't agree to give big minutes to Kai Sotto and Mojave King, JvG then hiring his buddy CJ to coach the team after the Bullets had just passed on him. Which finally led to the hiring of Ninnis, re-signing him and then firing him during training camp last year so Weston could install his guy Mike Wells. The person behind all that is still there.

Weston acting like everything is hunky dory now that KD is gone, after just one season here, and even like you said they tried to re-sign him to a multi-year deal but he only wanted a one year deal so they moved on from him, is quite cheeky given the architect of years of chaos at the club is still there.

And if anything, Weston has DE-stabilised Adelaide by firing a recently appointed coach without a genuine or logical replacement beyond Wells being NBA experienced, and bringing in a talented but problematic player like Davis. Adelaide had serious problems last season after Weston called it a "culture reset" before the season. Suspensions, players bagging the coach publicly, supposed physical and verbal fighting, capitulation on court. So after this cultural reset, we embark on another one by basically saying "F it" let's just buy a championship. Culture takes time to build, and you actually have to be aware what the real problems are.

Weston does deserve credit though. No one is complaining about the roster with an import still to come, but nothing really changes until it actually does. And no one really knows who is actually pulling the strings either.

Smart punters above are all correct, let's see mid season before getting to excited. Have the modern GOAT in mr Cotton should help though but there are some fragile egos still on that roster.

Adaelaide will still do Adelaide things. Great team on paper, but only one ball in a game. Doubt if Wells is up to it in player management or game planning. Time will tell.

The reason the 36ers have struggled with creating a team culture for all these years is because their best players aren't South Australian anymore. The best 36ers teams always had a core group of excellent South Australian players. Together with the fact that the team turns over half of the squad every year, the best teams have stable rosters which creates a good culture.

Interesting comment about the South Australians. The Breakers are the other team trying to rebuild culture in a major way. The two approaches are different with the Breakers going low cost, local, and putting a lot into community initiatives. It will be interesting to see which one or if both succeed.

Isn't this basically the same story every preseason. Can polish a turd but it's still a turd.
Cotton is a huge factor, was on a stable team for years but a circus the last couple, but seems to let his actions speak rather than words. But has he played with such an alpha like Harrell? I think there's mutual respect that will allow things to go more smoothly than they had with Davis and his attitude. Cheatham seems to be pretty low maintenance but does his skillset necessarily fit with what the team needs, will he have to take such a back seat with all the gun slingers out there?
But imo there's still too many question marks to get totally excited, it's the Sixers after all.
Cotton, DJ and Harrell should be locks to start, but then the questions start. If Humphries doesn't start, his psyche will suffer. Will wait and see if the rumoured promise of Cameron starting eventuates, what will his role be as starter with 2 heavy usage guards. So I'd bet Cheatham will come off the bench and Cameron to play PG when DJ comes off.
So a high powered and highly paid top 6, but what is after that? Kenyon, Rasmussen and White will be next in line, doesn't inspire too much confidence. Gristci was already a question mark before his injury, not much size if there's injuries or foul trouble.
Would be nice to have a local star, but Maher has really been the only superstar, most of the rest were before the league became professional. And the Australian "star" they have now is DJ, how will he coexist with Cotton? And is he really a star, I would consider one to be in the running for an all NBL team every year. He can get hot but also a black hole at times. But because of Adelaides bad reputation he had to do. And don't get me started on Humphries, at times he can dominate but the very next minute will miss a layup and he's done for the rest of the game.
But the biggest question mark is Wells. The coach sets the culture really, and based on last year he struggled big time. Yes, Davis and Harrell were huge distractions, but he appeared out of his depth. If there's early cracks while they try and figure things out, he can really lose the team and let it spiral out of control. He'd be under enormous pressure given the big names, is he calm enough and do the players trust him. The team absolutely imploded in its last game, and he looked clueless to stop it.
Culture always has a nice ring to it, but just throwing cash at it and saying it's now good doesn't prove anything. The true test is when they're going through a lean patch and how they respond.
Every year they proclaim it's going to be their year, but Adelaide just do Adelaide things.

I'm actually less worried about Trez and more worried about Dejan Vasiljevic being an issue. He still talks like he's the obvious, no doubt #1 guy and that is undoubtedly not true with Cotton on the team, and even Harrell and Cheatham now. We've seen him just jack up bad/long shots because he gets antsy about not touching it and it can really disrupt the flow because DJ just decides he's gonna shoot it no matter what.

And that's where chemistry can start breaking down with guys.

The Phantom, I think Cameron really should start. Otherwise you are left with either DJ or Cotton having to do way too much ball-handling and having to guard the opposition's best guard! DJ certainly isn't up to guarding any guard with any speed, so that would force Cotton to do it! Not what we want. I really hope Cameron starts and gets the toughest perimeter defensive assignment, as well as ball-handling duties. He's shown quite a bit in the Asia Cup and in his three pre-season games for the Sixers.

Wells said in the off-season the two big strategy didn't really work, so I think he will start only one of Humphries and Trez. Not sure which way that will go, but I like the idea of starting Humphries if Trez can be talked into a sixth man role, which is what he excelled at during the best phase of his career.

Anyone who listens to the Phantom is wasting oxygen. He likes to sound connected but is so far off the mark in the 36ers current environment. It's a true giggle.

Agreed Beantown.

I think the below makes the most sense for the starting 5.

C Humphries
F Cheatham
Point SF Cameron
G DJV
G Cotton

That way they can test how good they are at focusing on getting Humphries the ball early. An in-form Humphries is just so different.

They can also test how Cheatham can knock down threes and how Cameron goes with ball handling duties on top of three point shooting and defence.

They will also need to test what Trez and Humphries look like in short periods.

Those things will help inform if they need a third import and if so what type of import.

Can you bring Montrezl Harrell off the bench in the Australian NBL though? I don't think you can. The guy averaged nearly 20 & 10 last season, and looks in much better shape.

I like the idea of Humphries playing with White and Harris as a second unit. Maybe later on they bring in a import point guard who can play with Humphries in the second unit.

KET, they don't need to test what they look like. They started together for the whole of last season.

I agree with that lineup I don't think Trez is as much of an issue as Humphries. If we begin the season with Humphries on the bench we run the risk of losing him mentally so I think we have to start him, at least initially, and if he acts up and gets the sulks on rip him out and start Trez the rest of the way.

Chaos to chemistry and good culture?

I'll believe it when I see it.

36ers have had consistent cultural issues for a long time now.

Craig Randall, Kendric Davis, the way they sacked Scott Ninnis, etc.

They've been underachievers and I'm certain culture has a lot to do with it.

I'm not convinced about Wells. Trez is a volcano that could erupt at any second. Humphries has always seemed a bit mentally brittle.

Although the addition of Cotton is a big improvement over KD, time will tell whether they've finally found a good mix of people.

If they follow the method of last year where Humphries pretty much sat the entire 4th quarter of games while they went with Harrell and Martin as their bigs then Trez starting on the bench shouldn't really matter. He's gonna get his minutes to still be a 20/10 guy.

Master Chief, I don't know if Trez would accept coming off the bench, but I think it could be pretty effective if they throw an energized Trez at a tired starter or backup! Regardless of if he starts or not, I expect he will play bigger minutes than Humphries and close out games more often.

If we can afford a third import and Griscti isn't out too long, I'd like to see them find a big guard who can play defence and shoot. I think the biggest worry this team is going to have is defending elite guards and wings.

Teams like Tassie with Campbell, Hamilton and Johnson, Melbourne with Walker, Doyle and Ili, NZ with PJC, Brockington and Lopez, etc. Lots of tough matchups for us. I'd much rather have another import starter and bring DJV off the bench really.

I understand we had Ice and Trez together last year and that's why I was perplexed with Trez returning this year, in addition to the lack of a spacing stretch big.

But an in-form Humphries and a fitter Trez alongside hard working off-ball mover like Kenyon and *multiple* sharp shooters in Cotton/DJV is a materially different environment. They might test it and it works better this time.

I think they both use space differently. If Ice uses his footwork more and actively works north-south to roll to the basket rather than clogging the paint by trying to back down players, it could be a game changer for that dynamic. Especially if Trez sits himself in the midrange - I think he has a sneaky good pass to the post.

Weston said in an interview earlier in the off-season that playing Trez and Humphries together was a mistake, he said he didn't realise Trez would really be a 5 in this league and that mistake in roster construction was entirely on him.

Then we ended up re-signing Trez so I wouldn't expect them to play together much if at all.

Calling it a mistake only concealed the failure of last season. The balance has not been corrected; it has only been made more complicated. Cheatham is not a seamless fit after Harrell re-signed. Weston clearly was not as concerned about this as he claimed. Harrell can function as either a 4 or a 5.

The issue with starting Humphries for its own sake is that his role is not clear. Harrell waits behind him. If Humphries plays well, he is still taken off to accommodate Harrell. If Harrell plays well, he stays on. In either case, Harrell remains the preferred option. This is more so if they should not share the floor, or if Cheatham's defense is judged more important in clutch moments.

This is why Humphries as a defined "impact big" makes more sense. Harrell can play that role more naturally, but starting Humphries then becomes a gesture, not a necessity. The problem repeats. A clear bench role in a spaced unit with White, Harris, and perhaps another import would better use his strengths. Without that clarity, his impact suffers regardgless of when Harrell enters. The responsibility lies with coaching to keep everyone happy and roles clear.

The danger of not starting Humphries is the risk of losing him both mentally and perhaps literally as he has 2 years left on his contract and often the last year of 3 year deals are an option of some sort. I know it's probably at the point if he sulks his way through this season too we might be better off him leaving anyway at the end of the season.

Re: Weston's comments, they were said pre-Cotton/Trez returning when Flynn Cameron was our big off-season signing and IMO that was probably going to be it but then the Cotton situation deteriorated with Perth and the Sixers put in the call, found him receptive and that changed our off-season plans.

I also suspect the Sixers didn't have much intention of re-signing Trez but he grew up idolising Cotton they played in the same conference at college and Cotton was the big star of the conference then so Trez was probably open to taking a pay cut to come back and play with him. As well Trez has spoken about the loyalty he feels towards the Sixers for signing him last season when he was coming off a major knee injury that saw him fall out of the NBA.

Zodiac, it is a fair point. But my point is that Humphries suffers either way if he is to be in the shadow of Harrell anyway. That's why he needs a clear role and intention.That is why starting him for this reason is just a token gesture. I have nothing against Harrell coming off the bench though.

Not complaining about Harrell being back, I just don't think those comments by Weston were genuine if the then goes on to create an even bigger balance problem (but still a luxury), because they have done this again knowing the same problems he cared about will continue.

Hard to say for sure. Adelaide might have been coy all along to not sabotage the Cotton situation, Harrell might have signed after Cotton only, or an injection of funds or willingness to spend more might have changed the course for all concerned. Who knows.

They're going to have to find a way for Ice and Trez to play for about 10 minutes together regardless