The Brooklyn Nets seem to have closed the door on Mitch Creek’s NBA chances this season, choosing to sign Theo Pinson as their second and final two-way player.
Pinson was already a part of the Net’s training camp when the team signed Creek to an Exhibit 10 contract after the team had pitted the two up against each other to see who would fit a swingman role with the team.
Pinson and Creek both can play the shooting guard and small forward position but with Pinson being four years younger, five centimetres taller and having the pedigree of being a North Carolina graduate, opposed to a long shot from Horsham, Pinson seems to have been selected as the safer prospect to sign.
As the old saying goes “no one ever got fired for choosing IBM”.
Creek is now currently assessing his playing options for 2018-19. While he will remain with the Nets until the conclusion of their pre-season training camp he will need to decide soon what will be the best fit for him to remain both a chance to make an NBA squad and earn a spot on the Boomers FIBA World Cup team.
Creek could play out the season for the Nets G-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets, return to Europe (he recently played in Germany) or a move perhaps surprising to some, a return to the Adelaide 36ers is not out of the question.
“Although we believe Mitch Creek is an NBA player and we hope he finds an opportunity to play in the NBA this season we have contacted Mitch this week and made it clear we would welcome him back to the 36ers with open arms” said 36ers president Ken Cole.
The only real opportunities for Creek to make the Brooklyn’s NBA roster from here would be via injury to a fully contracted player or if they promoted one of their current two-way players, Pinson or centre Alan Williams, to main roster. This would re-open a two-way player spot for Creek.
Once Brooklyn’s pre-season camp concludes his non-guaranteed deal moves to the team’s G-League affiliate, the Long Island Nets. It’s likely that once Mitch’s journey reaches this point that he will make the decision to stay in the US or look to opportunities in Europe or the NBL.
It’s also known that multiple NBL teams have contacted Mitch about his interest in returning to the NBL, however it’s understood Creek would need approval from Adelaide before he can sign with another NBL team.
Creek was allowed out of his contract to play for an NBA team. If Creek decides to return to the NBL due to not making an NBA roster the 36ers would retain the right for his playing services in NBL competition.
Although Creek’s 36ers contract will stand if he returns to NBL competition in 2018-19 his name has been strongly linked to the NBL’s newest team, the yet unnamed South East Melbourne club. The team plans to unveil the brand during the middle of the NBL season and if Creek was not on an NBA roster, it is thought the new club has made it clear they want Creek to be a part of the plan for their first year in the league.
Creek’s US options have their benefits also. Playing for Long Island means staying under the eyes of the Australian Boomers with the head coach of the Net’s G-League affiliate Will Weaver also being a part of the Australian Boomers coaching staff.
Creek could impress in the G-League under Weaver and earn himself a call up to any of the 30 NBA teams if a team suffers a player injury mid-season.
If Creek spends at least 60 days with Long Island Net’s, he will also receive a bonus of $50,000, another small incentive to stay, but obviously there is much more money to be made in both the NBL and Europe. A deal with the 36ers would be expected to be within the $150,000-$300,000 mark and the right deal in Europe could be even double that.
“Mitch would be able to make as much money here in Adelaide as he could with any other NBL club and we’ve told Mitch that if he returned to Adelaide, not only would he be welcomed back by the club, but it would be our goal to provide him with everything he needs to become, possibly, the only NBL player to make the Boomers World Cup team next year” said Cole.
Much noise was made in the media and on social media when Adelaide filed an injunction to stop Basketball Australia from approving any potential deal between Creek and the Nets but with both parties agreeing to a solution and moving forward this could be water under the bridge if it resulted in Creek returning home and leading Adelaide to an NBL championship.
The relationship between the newly appointed Sixers president and Mitch Creek is one which runs deep with the Australian Basketball Hall of Famer devoting his time to help Mitch prepare for the NBA in his first summer league opportunity back in 2017.
“It changes everything if Mitch decides to come back. It would make us a serious contender for the title. I would be shocked if Mitch returned to the 36ers and we didn’t end up in the Finals” Cole stated.
Listen to Adelaide 36ers President Ken Cole, give his thoughts on Mitch Creek on his recent appearance on the Aussie Hoopla podcast.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
