The New Zealand Breakers decided to cut their losses with out-of-shape and injured import Lamar Patterson who despite being named to the All-NBL first team the past two consecutive seasons and is a career 18.7ppg scorer was only able to notch up 10.8 points and 3.7 rebounds in six games while shooting just 37 per cent from the floor before going down with a knee injury.
28-year-old Levi Randolph who graduated from the University of Alabama and was on the Cleveland Cavaliers roster before being released just days before the NBA season began will replace him on what is reportedly a two-year deal (the second year is an option) showing this isn’t just a move for now but the team’s future as well.
The signing was first reported by Emiliano Carchia for Sportando, the Breakers have signed Randolph., who has just finished his fourth year in the NBA’s second-tier league with the Canton Charge, as a replacement for Patterson.
New Zealand Breakers are expected to part ways with Lamar Patterson who will miss the next weeks of action with knee injury, I am told https://t.co/OBGwB9eWdb
— Emiliano Carchia (@Carchia) March 14, 2021
The news comes out at the same time as the Brisbane Bullets announced they have parted ways with former NBA player Orlando Johnson was couldn’t quite adjust to the NBL game either. It’s believed Lamar Patterson’s release provided the opportunity to return to Brisbane for what will be a third season for Patterson with a Bullets announcement on his signing expected today.
The loss of Patterson, closely followed by star Tall Black Corey Webster with a similar knee problem, and the defection of starting centre Rob Loe, who has returned to New Zealand for personal reasons, has severely impacted the Breakers start to the season.
The team’s next game will be in Brisbane this Saturday after which they are due to play the remainder of their season out of Launceston in Tasmania.
Randolph’s addition will certainly help the Breakers’ cause, as will that of highly-rated Aussie combo guard William McDowell-White whose signing was confirmed by the club on Saturday.
Both players however won’t be a part of the squad for at least another three weeks away, however, taking into consideration travel and border isolation requirements.
Breakers coach Dan Shamir has stuck with a threadbare six-man rotation the last two games (both defeats) and appears to have lost confidence in backups such as Daniel Trist and Kyrin Galloway who were signed to step up in just this eventuality.
Randolph averaged 12.9 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists a game with Canton during the just-completed G League bubble, and knocked down the 3-ball at an impressive 43 per cent clip.
The 1.98m swingman has also played in Italy and France.
Randolph still has hopes of making it into the big league and has an NBA out-clause in his Breakers contract.
This conclusion of the NBL Cup has seen a flurry of roster moves as teams make final adjustments to their squad before returning to the regular season.
In addition to New Zealand bringing in Randolph and McDowell-White, Adelaide 36ers released Jeremy Kendle in order to bring in new import Brandon Paul.
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.
