Before the 2003/04 NBL season the league instituted a new way of calculating salary – the points system. So not only did the teams have to confirm to the monetary salary cap they also had to fit the players in on a point basis. The range was from 1-10 with ten being the highest and ones given to development players. In the 2011/12 season (the current one) the salary cap is $1,000,000 while the point cap is 70, with all contracted players having to fit in both those requisites. It’s a good idea, making sure that players don’t ‘team’ up and cause an imbalance to the league and making the team’s front offices work harder to fit everyone in. Kind of like a Dream Team competition, but the stakes are much, much higher.
One good thing about the point cap is that there is a loyalty scheme, with players who stays with the same team don’t have to worry about their number fluctuating. The best example would be Thomas Abercrombie who started with the New Zealand Breakers as a development player so was given a score of one. Fast forward to this season where he is one of the best small forwards in the game and was given a score of eight for the season but the Breakers only have to factor in one point as that is what he started with. It’s a very good incentive for teams to hold onto players and help them grow instead of going for the quick fix which will leave them with no points for other players.
The player points are released before the season starts, so there is a big chance that many players play differently than their number would say. Some would improve their play so would be seen as a higher score while others would regress and have a lower number connotation. There are 49 players that are ranked eight or higher with 21 not in the league any more (remember these points were given out before the season started). 16 players have the maximum point total with 22 one point less. With so much movement of player’s talents and spectator’s perceptions, here are my top five ‘winners’ and top five ‘losers’ of the players’ points’ scheme.
Winners
Cameron Tragardh (Melbourne): Player Point (PP) – 9, Should Be (SB) – 10, Efficiency Rating (ER) – 15.6 (7th)
Not much of a change but he should be rewarded as being one of the elite NBL players. Second in points for the league, Trigger has been the Tigers’ only shining light in what has been a very disappointing season.
Kevin Lisch (Perth): PP – 9, SB – 10, ER – 15.5 (9th)
Similar to Tragardh, Lisch needs to be promoted into the best of the best. Leading the league in points, he has lead from the front for the second placed Wildcats and will be looked upon to lead them deep into the playoffs.
Daniel Johnson (Adelaide): PP – 7, SB – 10, ER – 17.1 (3rd)
This season has been a huge breaking out party for DJ as he has become one of the premier centres in the league. Slotting in at fifth in league scoring at 16.6 he also grabs 7.8 rebounds per game, putting him in contention for All-NBL team selection. Pretty good for a ‘seven’.
Jacob Holmes (Townsville): PP – 6, SB – 10, ER – 15.3 (10th)
Another player who has shot through all expectations, Holmes has been a rebounding monster. His performance of late has been lacking but his first half of the season was phenomenal. He picked up the slack while Luke Schenscher was injured and will not be a six next season.
Aaron Bruce (Sydney): PP – 5, SB – 8, ER – 11.2
Numerous times during his injury shortened season he has been criticised for being undisciplined but Bruce has talent. The selectors may have been wary of his below average seasons at Adelaide but taking the helm of the Sydney Kings he has proven himself to be much more than a lowly five.
Losers
Ron Dorsey (Melbourne): PP – 10, SB – 8, ER – 9.1
It was supposed to be the dynamic duo that would come in and save Melbourne, Dorsey and Ubaka. So much for that. Ubaka has been unceremoniously dumped (and could have shown up on this list as well) while Dorsey has been a flat out disappointment. An ER of nine just doesn’t cut it for a maximum player and if his play doesn’t get better don’t look for him in a Tigers’ jersey next season.
Matthew Burston (Melbourne): PP – 9, SB – 7, ER – 4.8
I know his season has been hampered by injury but Burston just hasn’t been able to get it together this season. In a league that is bereft of quality big men I would have expected Burston to shine but he has shown that he is not ready to come back to what he is capable of producing. I almost had him at a six but size counts in basketball.
CJ Bruton (New Zealand): PP – 9, SB – 7, ER – 7.3
Bruton junior has always been one of the best guards in the league and must live in the Antarctic because of the ice water in his veins but it seems to me that father time has caught up to him. Playing on a stacked NZ team would be a factor in his diminished production but I don’t think that he will be in the league in a couple of years.
Wade Helliwell (Adelaide): PP – 8, SB – 4, ER – 1.8
Before the season I wouldn’t have thought twice about Helliwell being classed as an eight but looking at him now I’m not sure what the selectors were taking. He averages an embarrassing 1.8 ER while getting scrub minutes being Daniel Johnson and Diamon Simpson and is definitely on the way out.
Dave Gruber (Wollongong): PP – 7, SB – 5, ER – 4.0
A fan favourite in Wollongong but his play has been severely lacking. You could probably say that about all the Hawks players but Gruber is there because of his reputation and not on his current output. Another player soon for the scrap heap.
You can find all the player’s points here if you want to see what your favourite team looks like.
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