The Tasmania JackJumpers are looking to add a more local flavour to their roster this upcoming season, with Scott Roth confirming the team is set to offer Development Player contracts to Tre Armstrong and Kye Savage.
Both Tasmanian players currently are playing for the North West Thunder in the NBL1 South. The 23-year-old Armstrong is averaging 17 points and 5 rebounds per game, returning to the Thunder after a 4 year college career at the California Baptist University.
Meanwhile, Kye Savage is a an up-and-coming talent in the junior ranks, the 17-year-old is averaging 11 points per game for the Thunder, including a team-high 20 points in their road loss to Eltham on 15 April.
“We looked at about seven or eight guys but we’ve narrowed it down to two or three guys that we currently either have offers in front of or who will have offers in the next 24 hours,” Roth said on Monday.
Roth also confirmed a development player contract will be offered to Walter Brown. The New Zealand international was a development player with the JackJumpers last season, but the team did not exercise its team option last month, allowing him to become a free agent.
Brown has been averaging 11 points and 7 rebounds in the New Zealand NBL with the Canterbury Rams. Former NZNBL General Manager and Sky Sports Analyst Justin Nelson describing him as the best young player in the league.
“Walter Brown (turns 20 next month) is indeed the best young player running around right now……the name Walter Brown is surely (and should be) on the lips of every ANBL team right now, including the Breakers,” Nelson said.
However, Roth concedes that despite offering the three contracts, that doesn’t mean all three will end up at the JackJumpers next season, and could end up at rival NBL clubs.
“I know they wanted to play a little bit longer and see if they can get a [fully contracted] roster spot which is perfectly fine and we’ll wait for them and let them make their decisions, Roth said.
NBL teams can offer up to four Development Player roster spots each season. Sean MacDonald is the only player holding one of these spots for the upcoming season.
The JackJumpers have always strived to have Tasmanian based players in thier roster. However, the departure of Hobart-born Sam McDaniel to the Brisbane Bullets this off-season, and missing out on securing Tasmanian Tanner Krebs in free agency (signing with Melbourne United) sees the team lacking a local connection on court.
